Confessions Of A Teenage Prankster
by Gene Kelly
Summary: Dungbombs. Pranks. Fights. Doubts. Secret Crushes. And The Bet that started it all...Fred and George are going to have an interesting fifth year. [R&R!]
1. Fun With Dungbombs!

-Disclaimer: You know the drill by now. At least I hope.

-A/N: **Happy New Year!** Here's to hoping that this year will be much better than the previous. Well, due to the request of a lovely reviewer, I'm going to start reposting this story! I dunno how I'll juggle this, _EWY _and _WILAY_, but let's see what happens. Once again, read, review and I'll be forever grateful! Thanks guys!

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All right, so contrary to popular belief I didn't **always** hate Alicia Spinnet. Way back in the days of first year, I actually thought she was kind of…well, _pretty_. And that's sort of taboo especially coming from ½ of the infamous Weasley duo. Fred was always the one that didn't realize girls even **EXISTED** until last year. I guess you could label me the "sensible" one while my brother is the "irrational, spur-of-the-moment" one. He's the kind of guy that has no use for highly detailed and organized plans while I live by them. Just because we're identical doesn't mean we share the same brain.

So back to this whole dilemma with Spinnet. Back in first year, I didn't think she was that bad. Fred was the one that didn't care too much for both Alicia and Angelina. It was like he'd been transferred to Mars or something and they were aliens. The only girls we really had been exposed to were our little sister, Ginny and our Mum. That's not saying too much, right there.

We met the girls on the Hogwarts Express. We were the last ones on the train; in account of we were late arriving to the station. Just as we had stepped out the door, Fred remembered this entire bag of Dungbombs he'd stashed away in his closet. So we spent ten minutes waiting for him to scurry back inside and get the things. Thus, we were forced to sit with Alicia and Angelina, two **girls**.

They were polite to us and introduced themselves. We made small talk. Then there was a lull in the conversation, so the girls started talking to each other once more and vice versa. I could tell Fred sensed this as an opportunity for a practical joke or two.

I didn't really mind the girls, like I've said before. I remember vaguely thinking that they were both equally pretty, but there was something about Alicia that had me kind of captivated. She looked slightly tall for a girl. Her pin-straight hair was golden; the color of straw and pulled back in a high pony tail. She possessed an ivory complexion, but with an adequate tan.

Her eyes were hazel, resting underneath thick lashes. She was dressed in a pair of jeans and a red T-shirt. A very ordinary attire, indeed. So why was I acting like she some big phenomenon? I was about to try talking to her again, but then Fred put a fake spider in Angelina's hair and all hell broke loose.

Ever since then, there's been this sort of mutual animosity between us. I never disliked the two in the first place, but as the months went by, Alicia began acting more hostile towards me. My fondness for her quickly disintegrated and I mirrored my brother's disfavor for them. It's kind of funny, because despite the fact we all don't care too much for each other, we always end up hanging out. This is mainly due to our best friend, Lee Jordan and the girl's other best friend, Katie Bell.

Katie is a year below us but on the House Qudditch team. The girls easily bonded with her, due to the fact they're the only females on the team. Lee Jordan is actually our roommate. We hadn't predicted that the three of us would end up such close friends. But once we discovered his love for reeking havoc and mischief, it was as though we'd met our long lost brother or something.

So maybe now you're asking how do Lee and Katie fit into this odd puzzle? Well, due to the fact Lee and Katie have had an "off again, on again thing" since last summer, Alicia, Angelina, Fred and I can't seem to escape one another for too long.

In addition, we're all on the House team so we see each other more than we'd like. Actually, Alicia and Angelina don't seem to mind Lee at all. In fact, Angelina and Lee used to live next door to each other when they were younger. So I guess they put up with us two blokes because Lee is always around us. But, just because they put up with us doesn't mean they like us any better.

But I can tell something will be different this year. I mean, it's fifth year. We're all fifteen. That's nearly sixteen. We're all teenagers. And teenage boys are infamous for their raging hormones. It's also a known fact that fifteen year old girls in general, aren't lining up for "cootie shots" anymore. It's funny to think that things can change so quickly. Well, actually concerning my brother and me, our nose for trouble hasn't changed. If you mean it's only gone to a bigger and stronger scale, then yes, there's been a drastic increase. Other than that, it's still the same.

I've always had this theory that the only reason why Fred consequently put that spider on Angelina's head is because he was attracted to her. Weird, I know, but it makes sense in its own way. My brother's not too good with relationships. He's not one of those guys that have new arm candy every week, but he's never had a serious girlfriend.

Myself, on the other hand, so far I've only had three girlfriends but the relationships all lasted for more than three months. I'm not looking for my soul mate or anything ridiculously sappy like that, but I don't believe in the whole, "love em and leave em" philosophy.

But back to the main point. So, for the past five years, there's been this sort of prank war going on between Alicia, Angelina, Fred and myself. It's not a huge war, per say, because no one else knows about it, excluding Katie and Lee. But it looks like there's no stopping it anytime soon. For example, last year, Fred thought it would be funny to slip this kooky potion he'd concocted during the summer, in Angie's soup. It was dinnertime and for reasons unknown, the six of us were sitting together. I tell you, it's like there's a damn magnetic force drawing us all together.

Anyway, Angelina and Alicia were giving us the cold shoulder. Katie was bedridden, having caught some weird 24-Hour stomach virus. Lee had just come back from visiting her in the hospital and said she'd be better in the morning. Fred kept trying to ask Angie about notes for History of Magic, because he'd fallen asleep. Seeing as how I always copy my notes from Lee, who gets them from Katie, who had been sick that day, we were all void of notes. Angie was glaring at Fred and wouldn't answer him. Fred, having the worse temper of the two of us, started rummaging around in his robes. I knew he always carried around practical joke stuff. He poked me in the leg and flashed the flask under the table, grinning like a mad man.

The bright, lime green liquid was this potion that would turn the drinker's hair a vomit green for two weeks. Of course, as the days passed, the color would weaken, but it remained in the person's hair. I wasn't sure if it was the right idea, seeing as how Angelina's temper almost matches Fred's. But I only nodded, braced myself for the worst and went back to my roasted chicken.

Two minutes later, Fred was clutching his sides, hysterically laughing, Lee's eyes were wide with shock though roaring with laughter just the same. Angelina was gazing at her reflection in a spoon, fiercely mumbling incoherent death threats against Fred and Alicia was shooting me the dirtiest look I'd ever seen. And living with **my** Mum, I've seen some **VERY** dirty looks before.

After that incident, Angelina and Alicia, but more so Angelina, were out for sweet revenge. They got it three weeks later. During Qudditch practice, they told Wood they were going to the bathroom. But on the way there, they located Fred and my water bottles. And unfortunately for us, they mixed in an entire package of laxatives into the water.

You can only imagine how embarrassed I was, when the next day, I was out on a date with my girlfriend Audrey, and my stomach started conducting its own symphony in the middle of a heated make-out session. She didn't break up with me, fortunately. But after that, she never liked to make dates right before or right after breakfast, lunch and/or dinner.

Lee thought it was one of the funniest things he'd ever witnessed. Angelina, Katie and Alicia did too. My brother and I, on the other hand, were boiling with rage. So, in conclusion, the pranks continued at rapid fire. There was no mercy and neither side cut the other a little slack. This was a full-blown war. So now, fast forward in time and it was the first day of our fifth year. To most normal students, this meant worrying about OWLS, getting a significant other, getting good grades and possibly thinking about careers after Hogwarts. To students such as Fred and myself this meant brain storming new pranks to use on Alicia and Angelina.

We found a compartment and much to my relief, without the three girls. We asked Lee about his summer and he told us about his trip to Chicago, which is in the States. I guess he had to go to some family reunion. Fred and I mostly stayed home. Occasionally, we'd go frolicking around Central London with Percy but it wasn't too often. I mean, if you met our brother, you'd talk to him for about two seconds then run away screaming, due to absolute _BOREDEM._

He reminds me of one of those preppy khaki-wearers, who spends the afternoons sailing on company yachts and talking about banking investments. I don't know what happened to him. He used to be, dare I say it, **cool**. I mean, obviously not cool in the way Fred and myself, but he wasn't so uptight. Then once he became a Prefect and got a decent looking girlfriend, his ego swelled to the size of Asia.

So, instead of forcing ourselves to the pure torture that is Percy Weasley, the two of us stayed up in our rooms. We were conducting experiments and making things. We had almost perfected all these nifty practical joke sweets.

It was a shame that they weren't completely finished, because we could have used them on the girls.

"So, Lee, how are things with you and Katie?" I wondered.

Despite the fact I highly disliked Alicia and Angelina, I could tolerate Katie. She was quite nice and was easier going than her two friends. Despite the fact she always stuck by their sides, she wasn't hostile to Fred and me. I didn't mind hanging out with her in fact, because she could take a **joke**. Maybe this was the reason why that prank war didn't want to cease between the other two girls and my brother and me. They just couldn't sit back and have a laugh.

Fred, who was sitting next to me, groaned in response.

"Aw, don't get him started on that, Gred. We'll be sixty by the time he shuts up again," Fred teased.

Lee, who was sitting on the seat across from us, gave him a mock-glare.

"Hey Fred, at least I **have** a girlfriend!" he reminded.

Fred rolled his eyes, smirking.

"Yes but who needs a serious relationship, anyway? We're nearly sixteen! I say live it up while you can, because you're only young once," he firmly proclaimed.

Lee chuckled and turned to me.

"It's sometimes amazing to thinkthatyou two are twins. Fred thinks that commitment means remembering Valentine's Day," he dramatically whispered.

I chuckled; knowing it was completely true.

"Yeah, just like he thinks a long-term relationship is five weeks," I snickered.

Fred crossed his arms over his chest.

"Hey! I heard that!"

That was another reason why Lee was my best friend, along with Fred's. He could actually tell us apart. And he didn't treat us like one person. I really appreciated the fact that Lee knew I was a totally different person than Fred and just because something was in Fred's interest, didn't necessarily mean it was in mine.

"Anyway, Katie and I are just fine. We're not exclusive or anything, but I won't complain.. I got her this really nice necklace and-"

"All right, enough of that. I think I can feel my youth slipping away from me already. Have you heard from Angelina or Alicia this summer?" Fred interrupted, long forgetting our discussion about him.

Lee shrugged.

"Not really. Just a few random letters here and there. I think Angie spent most of her summer in France with her family. I guess her Aunt owns a place out there. Alicia stayed home. Besides, why do you care? I thought you hated those two."

Fred snorted.

"Believe me, I do. The day I actually miss those two is the day Malfoy wears a tutu. I was only wondering because I wanted to know if they mentioned anything about George and me. You know, plans for upcoming pranks."

Fred had a good point. We had to be on our guard. You see, in addition to being the irrational one, Fred was also the schemer. He was the one that mostly thought out all these elaborate ideas. I was the one that actually made them happen. We made a great team, Fred and I.

Lee thought for a moment, scratching his chin.

"Nope, no mention about you, George or the prank war. Anyway, I doubt they would ever tell me. They know if they let anything slip, I'd go tell you two loons," he reasoned, slyly grinning.

We all laughed.

"Lee my boy, you won't believe some of the stuff Fred and I have come up with. They won't know what hit them," I enthusiastically predicted.

Fred nodded.

"For example, we-"

Just then, the compartment door whisked open. Standing in the narrow doorway was Katie, Alicia and Angelina. Katie had gotten blonder, Angelina taller and Alicia…well, I don't know how to explain it. Maybe I was hallucinating from a lack of sugar. Whatever it was, dare I say it; she looked prettier than last year?

In the back of my mind, Alicia had always been pretty. But this was the sort of pretty that you would use to make generic comments, like if you viewed a daisy and were like, "Oh, that's a pretty flower." There's no emotional attachment or deeper, hidden meaning behind it.

But when I gazed at her, I couldn't help but notice all the little things I'd ignored before. Like the fact her hair looked as soft as a pillow of feathers, or the fact her eyes were buzzing with this wild electricity I had never seen on anyone. She looked like she'd gotten a nice tan, her complexion browned to a **very** light cinnamon color.

She must have curled her hair for the day, because it was down and in a bouquet of bouncy, spiral, frizzles ringlets. And then I realized what I was doing. I had been checking her out! What was wrong with me? I had been giving the old eye to one of my sworn enemies! I locked eyes with her and her cheeks instantly flashed with a strawberry hue. Her cherry lips twisted into a smug smirk at the sight of me, which I returned.

"Hello boys. Enjoying the train ride?" Angelina caustically questioned, directed more so at Fred and myself than Lee.

Fred coolly gazed at Angelina, his lips pressed into a tight line.

"Well, we were until you lumbered in," he icily admitted.

Angelina rolled her eyes. She flipped her wavy, mocha locks over her shoulder and leaned up against the doorframe.

"Aw, do I sense some hostility between us? Don't worry, we won't be _too_ cruel to you children this year," Alicia vowed, with false compassion.

"You know Spinnet, I think everyone would be a lot less tense if we didn't have to look at your face," I sneered.

Lee choked on a laugh, due to the fact Katie instantly glared at him. Fred let out a sharp but genuine string of laughter. The girls were not amused, however. Angelina visually shot daggers at Fred and Alicia gave off the impression that she wanted to punch him in the nose. Katie looked utterly bored and frustrated with the whole ordeal, as though we were a bunch of toddlers drawing on the walls with crayon.

"And I'm sure I'd be a lot less annoyed if I didn't have to hear your voice. But I guess we all can't get what we want, now can we? I was hoping that maybe you would blow yourself up while conducting some sort of experiment in your room. I'm not at all sorry to say that I'm very disappointed," she snapped.

Ah, feisty this morning, are we? I just love a challenging argument in the morning.

I threw her a wicked smile.

"I was wishing that you'd choke on all of your toxic perfume vapors. I'm also not at all regretful to say it's truly heartbreaking to see you standing there and blocking out all the sunlight."

Alicia's eyes widened in rage and she started to advance towards me.

"Why you little, arrogant, smart-ass, insensitive-"

Katie held her back.

"Now, now Alicia, let's all play nicely," she crisply scolded.

Fred nodded, his eyes darting from Alicia, to Angelina.

"Speaking of playing, have you rampaged over here to discuss the terms of this year? If not, I highly suggest you leave," he snottily advised.

Despite the fact we're willing to do just about anything to each other for a laugh, we did make some agreements on what violations would be. Hey, even in war, there are rules!

"You think I actually like to waste my time by speaking to you? Dream on, Weasley," Angelina fiercely defended.

I rolled my eyes.

"All right, all right. You hate us, we hate you. Now, what are the terms? Same as last year?"

Last year, we had decided that we wouldn't pull anything that involved ruining, damaging or changing a person's grades/schoolwork. Like for example, it would have broken the accord between all of us, if anyone stole the other person's homework and drew all over it. We also agreed that we wouldn't conduct anything that endangered a person's life. Pretty basic and common knowledge type things, if we you ask me.

"Yes, that is, if you have anything you want to add," Alicia answered.

I looked at Fred and he looked at me. We both shrugged.

"No, there's nothing I can think of. What about you two?" Fred demanded.

The girls didn't even need a full minute to ponder it over. Alicia faced Angelina and they both grinned at each other, as though they were hiding some big secret. They turned to us again.

"No," they cheerfully chorused in unison.

I clasped my hands together.

"Fine, it's all settled then. Now, would you please do us all a favor and leave? All the horrid odor of your hairspray is a hazard to my health and the ozone layer," I sarcastically suggested.

Alicia smirked at me.

"The pleasure is all mine."

Katie quickly ran over and gave Lee a peck on the cheek, then a quick wave to Fred and myself. We waved back and I offered her a small smile. She smiled back. You see, it wasn't Katie that was the problem. It was those two bloody loons, Alicia and Angelina. Katie was just an innocent bystander. Angelina and Alicia both glowered at us, then narcissistically tossed their noses up in the air and stalked away. Katie shook her head and laughed, then followed them.

The compartment door shut with a tumultuous **bang**.

"They seemed even more hostile than usual, don't you think so?" I asked Lee and my brother.

Fred scowled.

"I didn't like those smart-assed looks on their faces. You think they're already up to something?"

Lee shrugged. He was always the peacemaker between us. Kind of like the muggle United Nations or something. He was the one that always seemed to calm Fred down, as well.

"I have no clue. But most likely, yes. I'd watch your back if I were you two. They're a lot more clever than you give them credit for," he wisely inferred.

I nodded.

"He's right, you know. You can never be two cautious," I added.

Pretty soon, the conversation steered away from our recent close encounter of the third kind. We discussed old memories and Qudditch, made fun of Professor Snape and told Lee all about our newest inventions. Lee is the Qudditich commentator for all the games, so despite the fact he didn't play, he had a love for the game nearly as much as we did.

The witch came around with the snack cart and I bought a few Chocolate Frogs. Fred didn't feel like eating anything and Lee bought some Pumpkin Pastries. After quite some time, the train came to a stop and we knew we had arrived at Hogwarts. The three of us shoved on our robes in record time.

And that's when I started to notice a very familiar, yet very rancid smell.

"Oh God, what the hell is that smell?" I demanded.

Lee sniffed the air and then wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"It smells like a Dungbomb," he replied.

Fred gazed around the room.

"George, you didn't try to throw any at the girls or something, did you?" he questioned.

I shook my head.

"No, you saw me. I was sitting here the whole time. Did you?"

He instantly shook his head.

"No. But then where the bleeding hell is it coming from?"

I looked at Lee, whose eyes were trained on our robes, grinning all the while.

"It's coming from you two!"

"What?" How?" I proclaimed.

Fred put his pocket in his robes and immediately, his face turned into a grimace.

"George, if I were you, don't stick your hand in the pocket of your robes."

I was confused.

"What, why?"

And I did exactly what he told me not to do. Unfortunately, I was met with a large lump that could only be a fresh Dungbomb. I quickly pulled my hand out and wiped it furiously on the side of my black robes.

"AHHH!" I roared.

All of a sudden, there was a loud fit of giggling at the door. Fred stormed over and flung it open. We were met with the absolutely tickled faces of Angelina and Alicia. Katie was standing back, observing the entire scene as though she were watching a play. Both of them were laughing so hard and so much, that large, oval droplets were streaming down their cheeks and creating wet spots on the front of their robes.

"You bloody wanker!" Fred roared at Angelina.

She stopped laughing for a moment, looked at his extremely red face, then burst out laughing again.

"We figured that since you can't stand the smell of perfume, you'd appreciate this!" Alicia wheezed.

Angelina laughed even harder, if that was at all possible.

"Well, we don't want to be late for the feast! Smell you boys later!" she departed.

They three girls all linked arms and merrily skipped down the hallway of the train, still unable to cease their cackling. Fred stormed out after them. In all his Dungbomb covered glory, he stood in the middle of the hallway and glared viciously at their retreating backs with spiteful rage. A few students lingering in the corridor or trying to get off the train began to gag on the stench but Fred ignored them.

Shaking his first in the air, he shouted, "Mark my words, we'll get you for this! And we'll see who has the last laugh!"

But the girls continued their activity of hysterical laughing, rounded the corner, and then had vanished.

It was hard to believe that this had only been the first day. Unknown to all of this, the year would fly by and the prank war would be taken to a whole new extreme.


	2. Cruel To Be Kind

-Disclaimer: Do I really need to type one?

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-A/N: As always, my enormous and endless gratitude for everyone that reviewed. You guys are the reason why I continue to post things.

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As much as I love food, eating, and anything to do with the above, when you're engaged in a dangerously devious prank war with two of the most cunning girls in your year; it's pretty hard to get excited. I mean, why anyone would be delighted at the thought of consuming something that may or may not contain a potion that will make you go hairless as a shaved cat.

After Fred and I had preformed a quick cleaning spell on our robes, we hurried down to the Great Hall. Fortunately, the long and boring process of the Sorting Hat had just finished. Mcgonagall had picked up the three legged stool and tattered hat and was on her way to put them back. Lee had saved us seats, so we plopped down on either side of him and started piling on the food.

Katie was sitting across from Lee, Angelina and Alicia on either side of her. The girls had been conducting some sort of compelling discussion but once Fred and I sat down, they shut right up. Naturally, this was only a benefit to me because I was in no mood to be tortured by Alicia's obnoxious cackle of a laugh. All right, so maybe that was exaggerating the truth but c'mon, she's **Alicia** for Pete's sake. The girl practically revolves her life around how many times she can piss me off in a single day.

Fred and I had been talking on the way to the Great Hall and it was unanimous that we'd need something big, something spectacular; something that would really knock Angelina and Alicia out of the water. The problem was that we didn't know what _that_ was.

I gazed upward and noticed that Alicia was studying me with a strange interest. Those cherry lips of hers were squished together in this sort of pout that I **might** have thought would be quite appealing, if she weren't one of my sworn enemies. When she realized I was looking at her, she instantly scowled, her cheeks painted with a thick, crimson hue.

"Did you guys put anything in this food?" I demanded, putting down my biscuit.

Alicia cocked an eyebrow, her blush fading away.

"What do you think we are? Amateurs?" she sneered.

I threw her a very strained smile and went against my better judgment. Despite the fact that I had eaten on the train, my stomach was grumbling like a volcano eruption. You see, in addition to being hormonally driven, teenage boys always are in brink of starvation. I haven't figured out exactly why, though. Must be those weird laws of physics or something.

As I greedily chomped into the biscuit, I was very relieved that it tasted exactly the way it was supposed to. Surprisingly, the girls hadn't poisoned or damaged our food and the tension sort of decreased. Angelina started talking to Katie and Alicia about her summer in France, so the two turned off their glares and turned to their friend with matching warm smiles.

Girls. They can be so two-faced sometimes. They're_ too_ emotional, if you ask me. They think everything needs to be a scene out of a sappy movie, as though they were directing a romantic comedy or what not. If you give them a compliment, they start to cry because it's just "so romantic."

If you do something nice for them, like save them the last piece of pie at dinner, they get teary-eyed because "that was so thoughtful and romantic." Jesus, everything is "so romantic!" I get sick of the word. I bet if you warned a girl that her fly was down, she'd snog you senseless because it was "so thoughtful and romantic."

I'm beginning to see why Fred embraces the whole "you're only young once" concept. Who wants to be romantic when you can be having fun?

After dinner, Lee, Fred and I paraded about the hallway, setting off some old Filbuster's Fireworks that Lee had found in the bottom of his trunk. I guess it was to "christen" the New Year, if you will. Filch, the ruddy git, nearly caught us, but luckily we're very skilled when it comes to dodging unwanted company.

Thankfully, he was MIA and failed to witness our misdemeanor. But I suspect we're at the top of his list. I mean, who else would pull something brilliant like that? The last time we saw him, he was crouched over, wheezing for oxygen and threatening to "catch whomever the hooligans were if it were the last thing he'd do."

I guess it **WILL** be the last thing he'll ever do. The old bird looks like he's getting too up there in the age department to go chasing after three, vital youths such as ourselves. Besides, he's rarely been able to capture us. We've memorized all the secret passageways. They've come in handy more times than I can remember.

My fellow juvenile delinquents roared with laughter as we sauntered back to the common room. I was the last one into the common room. As I was running through the portrait hole, I accidentally slammed into someone.

We both toppled to the ground, letting out a string of curse words, seeing as how we'd knocked heads. I was about to offer a hand to the unfortunate victim, but I instantly recoiled when I met her eyes.

"Watch where you're going, Weasley!" Alicia furiously advised.

I glared at her and quickly stood up. She sprung to her feet, dusting off her robes as though she'd been pushed in dust. A few people, such as my little brother, Ron, his best friend, Harry Potter and Ron's too obvious infatuation, Hermione Granger, were sitting around. At the sight of Alicia's red face and my icy glare, they lowered their voices and took a quick observation at the unfolding argument, though trying not to show it.

"Well, if you had moved out of the way, maybe it wouldn't have happened!" I snapped.

She really _does_ look cute when she's mad. I don't know why. I don't even know why the hell I thought that. Maybe she really **had** put something into my food. I wouldn't put it past her.

"Well, if you weren't walking around with your head in the clouds, then we wouldn't be having this conversation!"

She placed her hands on her hips, her eyes blazing as vibrantly as the fireplace.

By now, even Fred and Lee had stopped playing their game of 'Exploding Snap' to eavesdrop on the verbal fiasco. What was I, some sort of soap opera? Eh, oh well. It wasn't like this sort of thing was out of the ordinary. In fact, if Alicia and I went a day without arguing, then I'd seriously think there had been some sort of invasion of the body snatchers.

"Aw, what's the matter, Alicia? Is it your time of the month?"

All right, all right, that was pretty low to pull out the whole "feminine problems" card. But I couldn't resist. It was quick and easy. A little below the belt _(no pun intended)_ but she wasn't exactly courteous and considerate. I resisted the urge to grin as I heard just about all the males snicker, with the exception of that Neville Longbottom bloke, who was asking someone what "that time of the month" meant.

Alicia was absolutely beyond furious. It was more like a mixture of humiliation **AND** anger. Her eyes were wide as two full moons and I wouldn't have been surprised if steam started billowing out of her ears. Her jaw was clamped shut, her nostrils flaring with spite. I let out a chuckle. So maybe she isn't **that** cute when she's upset. Rather than an attractive fifth year girl, she was like a very attractive flamingo ready to peck my eyes out.

"I can't believe you'd say something like that, you inconsiderate wanker!" she screeched.

At this, most of the girls started applauding with approval. This made me realize how absurd this argument was. But it didn't make me want to quit. There was something so addicting and in a twisted way, entertaining, that came with fighting with Alicia. I don't know. We both liked to push each other's buttons.

I rolled my eyes, and then threw her a cocky grin. This sent her even more into a rage of fury. I dramatically placed both hands to my heart, clutching it as though it would fall out any minute.

"Merlin, that really hurt. I think I'm going to sit in my room and have a good cry," I teased, sticking my bottom lip out in a pout.

Alicia let out a huff of frustration.

"You are such an asshole! I don't even know **WHY** I put up with you!"

I winked at her.

"You know you can't resist the Weasley Charm!" I seductively stated.

Or at least, I tried to be.

All the guys started hollering their agreement at this comment, while many of the girls hissed their disapproval.

Alicia smirked at me, her scowl falling off her face like bacon on a greased frying pan. She strutted over to me, swaying her hips back and forth like a pendulum. I gulped. You remember what I said about teenage boys and their hormones, right? Well, they were starting to kick on just about now.

I pretended to embrace a nonchalant attitude and critically eyed her. She gave me this sickeningly sweet smile, peering up at me with false innocence. I had no idea what the bleeding hell she was going to do.

It kind of made me nervous, to tell you the truth. But I kept smirking at her and she kept smiling at me. Neither of us wanted to lose this bizarre concentration game we were playing. I guess the both of us **do** play a lot of mind games which each other. It's kind of becoming a bad habit.

"Wow, George. You're right. I just can't hide it anymore. Those strong arms and gorgeous blue eyes of yours are **extremely** sexy," she throatily drawled.

The guys let out wolf-whistles. I stared down at her, attempting to figure out what was going on in her mind. Maybe I could out-smart her. But she batted her eyelashes up at me, then took a thick piece of her golden locks and began to slowly twirl it around her finger. My smirk deepened, knowing that I couldn't let some **girl** get to me, especially some prat like Alicia Spinnet. My heart started to beat wildly. Damn you hormones!

"Good of you to finally notice," I apathetically muttered.

Her eyes sparkled, the space between us rapidly decreasing. She tilted her head upwards, her lips approaching closer and closer. As much as I should have, I couldn't and wouldn't move. I was frozen in place for some reason.

Had I had known the reason, I would have ran as fast I could. But due to the fact I had suddenly turned into a hypnotized wanker, I was only able to observe how deliciously shiny her lips were and how with each inch decreased, the scent of her peach lip-gloss grew stronger and stronger.

Everyone in the common room remained deathly silent.

"What kind of game are you playing at, Spinnet?" I growled.

Our noses were practically touching. Her breath was calm and collected, brushing against my face like the whisper of a summer's breeze.

"I'd watch your back if I were you, Weasley," she huskily suggested.

I rose an eyebrow.

"Why's that?"

Her lips moved closer but still did not touch mine.

It seemed like the entire world was standing still. Her sweet smile broadened into a sinister sneer.

"Because things can happen when you least expect it."

And before I could jump backwards, she had kneed me in the….well, let's say, "a land down under."

I let out an earsplitting groan of pain, along with all the other Gryffindor males that knew too well the catastrophic damage of the action. Alicia waltzed back to Angelina and Katie, her nose high in the air, once again swaying those hips of hers like she was a model on the runway. When Alicia was securely standing next to her mates, the entire group of girls faced her and started wildly cheering like raving Qudditich fans at the World Cup.

I shuffled over to Lee and Fred, still hunched over.

"Thank you, thank you!" Alicia proclaimed, taking an arrogant bow.

Ugh. That little git! Thinks she could pull a fast one on me, doesn't she? We'll see about that. Even more than ever, I felt like making her the victim of the most humiliating prank of all time.

What was I thinking, suddenly drifting off to La La Land and noting how pretty she was? Had I gone insane? **This was war.** That meant no flirting with the enemy! After a few moments, I caught my breath and rose to my full height, glowering at Alicia. She was too busy laughing it up with the group of girls that had gathered around her.

"Tough luck, mate," Lee sympathized.

I only nodded, boiling with fanatical rage.

"Yeah, tough break. But don't worry, we'll get them this year," Fred assured, lightly patting me on the back.

I let out a frustrated sigh. I was silent for a moment, letting my eyes stray away from my brother and best friend. Once again, they landed on Alicia. She met my gaze and threw me a sly smile, then gave a little wave.

I narrowed my eyes, my fists clenching and unclenching. Enough was enough. For too long had I been "George Weasley, Mr. Nice Guy." This year, I would break out the big guns. This year, I would do everything in my power to see that I would be the one having the last laugh.

_"Spinnet is going down."_


	3. Love To Hate You

-Disclaimer: I own nada.

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-A/N: Here's a long overdue update! Thanks, once again, to all your lovely people out in reader land. Haha.

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So, Potions class was going pretty normal. Lee, Fred and I were located at prime seats in the back, occasionally paying attention and plotting ways to prank Filch. The man absolutely hates us. Anyway, it was going according to our plans, when that git Snape decided to pair people up.

"Weasley and Spinnet! Come up to the front!" he stonily ordered.

I looked at Fred, who appeared rather bored. I let my gaze lazily wander to Alicia, who had this extreme expression of loathing and disgust painted upon her face. God, like she thought she was the only one that had to endure this cruel and unusual punishment. It's not like I fancied being forced to partner up with her either.

"Which one?" I anxiously demanded, praying that it would be Fred.

Professor Snape glared at me and waved his hand about. I don't think Snape has been able to tell us apart yet.

"You," he impatiently informed, his eyes boring into mine.

I groaned and made my way up to the front of the class. Fred and Lee snickered.

"Tough luck, bro," Lee whispered with amusement, patting me on the back.

I rolled my eyes, and dragged my feet to the assigned desk, knowing his sympathy was false. I slammed my books down on the wooden tabletop, crossing my arms over my chest. I refused to look at that stupid prat, otherwise known as Alicia Spinnet.

All right, so maybe she's not stupid, by definition. She's actually very smart. Not as smart as Hermione Granger, mind you, but she definitely doesn't have to try too hard to get an exceptional mark in whatever subject she accomplishes.

But it's not like I was going to say that to her anytime soon.

After Snape had partnered everyone up, he began to write the directions on the board, his voice monotone and apathetic, as though he'd rather be somewhere else. Much to Fred's horror, he was paired up with Angelina. Both of them were standing about ten feet away from each other and appeared as though they'd rip each other to shreds. I held in a laugh and tried to briefly memorize Snape's directions. Lee was paired up with some Ravenclaw guy I'd never seen before.

"As you can see, I have clearly written the directions on the board. You have an hour to complete your potion. Once you are done, put a small amount in a vile and place it on my desk for grading," he firmly instructed.

Everyone started rummaging around his or her work area for the correct tools. A big, black cauldron had already been stationed at each desk for each set of partners. Everyone had to go up and get his or her own ingredients. The assignment was to make some type of antidote that would cure for some poisonous spider. I don't exactly remember. All I wanted was to get the thing over and done with, as fast as possible.

"Begin," Snape crisply ordered.

The room exploded with the scampering of feet, as students went to gather their ingredients from the Potion cabinet on the left side of the room. There was no choice. I had to talk to her now.

"All right. I guess I'll get the ingredients," I casually offered.

She frowned at me.

"Fine."

The rest of the time we prepared the potion without little or no exchange of words. Alicia was set upon getting a good grade and I was determined to not lose my temper. I had no desire to sit in detention with her, of all people. Usually, I'm not bothered by detention. Fred and I make the most of it. But if I had to spend an hour with Spinnet, then I'd rather shave off my eyebrows for three sickles. Ah, scratch that. I've already done it.

When I had safely put the vile of liquid on Snape's desk, I immediately went over to Fred. He and Angelina had finished their potion five minutes before Alicia and myself.

"Weasley," Angelina icily stated, critically eyeing me.

"Johnson," I spat out.

"If you'll excuse us, George, but Angie and I have more important things to do than stand around and let our IQ drop," Alicia maliciously interrupted.

My eyes flickered with embarrassment and annoyance, as I towered over her. At nearly 6'2'', I was about eight or nine inches above her.

I'd like to think that maybe this fact would be slightly intimidating but she didn't even flinch. She smiled up at me, purposely delivering that sugar-sweet smile of hers that nearly shows all of her gleaming, pearly white teeth; the smile that you know is hiding something wickedly devious. I couldn't think of anything good to say back, for some peculiar reason.

"Oh-sod off, Spinnet," I snarled.

Alicia took a quick peek at Snape, who was studying the four of us. He was eagerly awaiting a wrong move, so he could storm over and take away house points. Despite the fact we only had five minutes left in class, Snape was desperate to have any justification for terrorizing innocent people, such as Fred and myself.

"I'd be happy to," Alicia answered, with a smirk.

Angelina laughed and the two girls sauntered to the other side of the room, where Alicia and I had been sitting, moments before. Lee was still finishing up his potion with his partner, who both were wondering why the liquid had transformed to a puss lemon hue, when it was supposed to be a canary yellow.

Too bad he wasn't over here to hear that whole discussion. He usually was the peacemaker between all of us.

Fred winced. Yeah, my pathetic losing streak was so bad, that even my own brother felt sorry for me. God damn you, Spinnet! This was the second time in less than a week that she'd beaten me at the battle of wits! I really was losing my touch. What was wrong with me?

"Man, she's really creaming you this year, isn't she?" Fred proclaimed, surveying Angelina with a newfound emotion in his eye.

I glared at Alicia, but she was too busy whispering something into Angelina's ear. No doubt, it was probably about Fred and me.

I turned my back to her, enraged.

"Oh, just shut up. Frankly, I let her have that one," I fibbed, trying to fix my bruised ego.

Fred rose an eyebrow, smirking.

"Sure. I'll let you believe that."

I threw up my hands in frustration.

"You know, you're not really helping the situation!" I hissed.

Fred chuckled.

"She's really getting to you, isn't she?"

Now, normally I don't mind my brother's clueless manner and his annoying habit of stating the bloody obvious, but something about this day and the way Spinnet was steaming some annoying yet brand new confidence out of her tiny little ears was hitting every last nerve.

"No, Fred. I just _love _getting verbally abused by some psycho nut-case of a girl," I snapped.

Fred snorted, and then got serious. I knew something was up, because Fred is hardly ever serious. That's like saying Professor Mcgonagall and Headmaster Dumbledore were dating. There's an element so alarming, shocking and just plain odd about that statement, which you think you need to clean your ears out.

"Listen, I have an idea that's so brilliant, you'll be worshiping the ground I walk on," Fred began.

Now I was curious. My brother was known for his wacky yet outstanding plots of mayhem.

"Continue," I urged.

Fred's eyes lit up with excitement.

"It's so simple; I don't know why I didn't think of it before! This will put an end to this whole prank war with Angelina and Alicia, for good."

"Ok, then what's your great idea?"

Fred's lips curled into a slow grin.

"It's the prank of the century. We can make the girls **fall in love** with us. When they find out it was all a joke, we'll be having the last laugh!" my twin eagerly explained.

I scratched my chin, pondering the thought. Although it sounded like a good idea, I couldn't help but think it was kind of mean. All right, I know that sounded way strange coming from **MY** mouth, but I'm the sensible twin, remember? Fred's known for jumping into things without thinking about the consequences. It's a good thing that I'm around, because I always end up weighing the option. I'm the rational one.

I guess I'm the other part of Fred's logic that went missing. So, therefore, I figured that making anyone, no matter who it was, fall in love with you and then break their heart was kind of…uncivil. I mean, no one likes to be heartbroken. It's not a nice feeling. Not like either of us would be experts on the subject. I know for a **FACT** that Fred's never been in love. On my part, despite the fact I've had serious relationships, I don't think I've ever experienced love quite yet.

I took one last look at Alicia, who caught my eye and quickly threw me the finger. Angelina started cracking up. I felt rage cloud my vision and my logic flew out the window. This plan wasn't so cruel, after all. Besides, after all the stunts that she pulled, she deserved it.

I grinned at Fred, who immediately knew I was in on the scheme.

"Dear brother, you're a genius."


	4. The Line Between Genius and Insanity

-Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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Quidditch, honestly, is the love of my life. If you gave me the option of going out with the hottest girl in my year but never playing Quidditch again, I wouldn't take the offer. I'd flat out say, "Hell no!" in a polite and gracious manner, then promptly sprint away. Quidditch gives me the chance to have an excuse to hit rather large and painful objects at unsuspecting Slytherins.

Quidditch gives me the golden opportunity to forget about grades or professors or what career I'm going to dive into after Hogwarts. Once I step foot onto that field, it's like I'm disconnected from the rest of the world. I'm entirely focused on the game.

It's like this weird electricity is flowing through my veins. Nothing matters anymore. I'm so engrossed into the game that the voices of the crowd fade into the background like a soft buzz. I don't do it for the fans _(though it's certainly helped in the dating department) _and I don't do it for the recognition. It's the love of the game, I tell you. Simple and pure.

But when you mix a Weasley and Alicia Spinnet, things get a bit more complicated. Especially when you're at a potentially lethal prank war with her.

Today was our first practice of the day; due to the fact Wood has been obsessed with winning the House Cup ever since he's been able to ride a broomstick. Actually, he's not that bad of a bloke to hang out with, once you get him away from the topic of Quidditch.

Honestly, it's a wonder that he's got a girlfriend. She's actually quite pretty and not one of those butch, beefy types we thought Oliver would have easily snagged. She's a brunette and has these amazing dark eyes and legs for days. I think her name is something exotic, like Jasmine or Jade or something of the sort.

A real looker, as my brother Fred would say. I wouldn't be surprised if Jade/Jasmine fell asleep every time they went out, due to the incessant and boring play by play of Wood's infamous Quidditch speeches and pep talks.

Anyway, it was only the first week of September and Wood insisted on calling a practice session after dinner. Fred and I took our time going down to the pitch and getting changed in the locker room. Before we mounted our brooms, Wood pulled us in for his usual pep talk. It's kind of sad to think that next year will be the last time Fred and I get to make fun of Wood's boring speeches.

"All right everyone, I don't want to start off with anything too demanding. I want to go over a few drills, see where everyone is. I don't suppose any of you took the smart path and practiced this summer, am I correct?" he questioned, in that thick Scottish accent of his.

I took a quick glance over at Alicia, who was practically drooling buckets in spot. Figures. Girls like Alicia **ALWAYS** go for the foreign guys with the accents. The bloke could have five teeth missing but if he had some kind of fancy accent, other than British, she'd have an insane case of rapid heart palpitations. The mystery of girls and blokes with accents. I don't think I'll ever figure that one out.

"Eh, I would have practiced if I could. You know how it is," Harry sincerely offered, shrugging.

Poor Harry. And I really mean it. I mean, he lives with the sort of muggles that think of _The Wicked Witch of the West_, when you mention magic. The worst sort of people, actually. The kind that can't stand change and is afraid of diversity. His cousin, Dudley I think it is, bears the strong resemblance to a pig. You have to watch out for a kid like that. If he ever sat on you, you'd seriously break a few bones.

Oliver curtly nodded and looked around at the rest of us.

"Now what about the rest of you lot?" he demanded, as though this were a life or death situation.

Fred looked down at the ground and started to whistle. I threw Wood a sheepish grin and shrugged. Angelina glared at Fred and Alicia was too busy staring into the depths of a certain Scottish captain's eyes to even hear the question.

She's hopeless, I tell you. Hopeless and pathetic, all lost to the clutches of a guy that nearly burst into tears when he misplaced his broom for a week. What is this world coming to?

In all honesty, Fred and I had practiced but not as much as we could have. We'd been spending most of our summer trying to develop practical joke items, mainly in the line of candies and sweets. Nothing had been a total success, so far. Oliver scowled and locked eyes with me.

"Weasley? Don't tell me you haven't picked up a broom at all this summer?" Wood fiercely questioned.

I rolled my eyes and lightly patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't pop a heart valve, Oliver old boy. Of course I did. What kind of team member would I be?" I smoothly confirmed.

Oliver relaxed a bit. Alicia snorted, somehow zapped out of her trance.

"The kind that finds every possible way to annoy the hell out of me," she acidly muttered under her breath.

Oliver rolled his eyes, already annoyed by our banter. Actually, everyone on the team was sick of the teasing between Alicia and myself.

Fred and Angelina hardly verbally spared during practices, mainly because Angelina was devoted to Quidditch almost as much as Wood and didn't want to be bothered with anything but the game. She gets really focused, I suppose. It's quite a good thing too, because Angelina would be mighty upset if she caught Fred dreamily staring at her ass half the time.

I threw Alicia a charming smirk and was about to mouth off some witty and biting comment, when I remembered the plan. So instead, I slyly made my way over to her and draped an arm around her shoulder, as though this were as normal as annoying Professor Snape.

"You know, that hurts, Leesh, it really does," I responded, gazing down at her and pouting.

Fred stifled a laugh and Alicia immediately shoved my arm off, letting it flop to my side. Gah, dissed **AND** dismissed. I really was losing my touch. Alicia crossed her arms over her chest and warily eyed me, standing back a bit as though I'd suddenly leap out and stab her.

"Did you just call me Leesh?" she wondered in disbelief, slightly squinting her eyes.

I broadly grinned. The trick was to catch her off guard. Once she let those walls down, it would be easier to gain her full trust. It was the only way that this entire plan of sabotage and deception would work.

"Yeah and what of it?" I curiously persisted.

Alicia made the expression of someone who has just ridden a roller coaster after eating a handful of dairy products.

"Ugh, I think I'm going to hurl," she wailed.

Angelina promptly laughed, as though she were reading from a script and then instantly remembered to shoot Fred another vicious glare as an afterthought.

Oliver cleared his throat, getting more annoyed by the minute. Merlin, I'm glad I'm not Captain. I think I'd go mental if I had to deal with all the bloody bantering that goes on between the four of us. Then again, seeing as how I'm not and would never **WANT** to be Captain of the team, by all means, let the malicious bickering continue and with full force!

"All right, all right. Enough. If you'd excuse me, Weasley and Spinnet, I'm **TRYING** to run a practice here?"

I took a quick peek at Wood; he gave off the impression that at any moment, steam would be pouring out his ears, as thick as a stack of bricks. Poor old chap. Maybe if he spent more time actually snogging his girlfriend, than driving himself up the wall and consequently obtaining an Ulcer about Quidditch, then he'd have a lot less stress.

"Can we just get started already?" Harry hesitantly demanded, expertly and swiftly switching his broom from his right hand to his left.

Now this was a startling and fresh comment! Usually Harry didn't mind all the childish teasing that ritually happened before each practice.

"Yes, please? I don't have all year," Katie teased.

I stuck my tongue out at her and she rolled her eyes, laughing to herself.

"This isn't over, Spinnet," I teased, throwing her my most seductive and charming grin.

Alicia grimaced, hopped onto her broom and with a strong kick, was hovering above the rest of us.

"I'm bursting with excitement already," she sarcastically snapped, her tone flat and apathetic.

A few moments later, after executing some basic warm-up drills, Wood dragged out the ball crate. He released the Snitch for Harry, then got out the Quaffle and started instructing a new set of tactics with Angelina, Katie and Alicia.

At the same time, he was enthusiastically preaching about how he was extremely disappointed that the three girls had spent more time frolicking at the beach, then practicing Quidditch. Fred and I had retrieved our bats from the storage shed and were obediently messing around with the bludgers.

It was kind of getting boring, if you ask me. I love Quidditch all right, but there's only so many times you can sit around and hit the same bludger back and worth without the novelty of it all wearing off like the shine on a penny. There's a huge difference between practicing alone and then participating in an actual game. For one thing, there wasn't any slimy Slytherins to aim at.

And on another note, I couldn't stop glancing at Alicia. I know, I know, I shouldn't have been paying any attention to the enemy but I was unable to resist. I had done some thinking while practicing and I was wondering exactly why we hated each other so much.

Granted, Fred and I hadn't made such a great impression on the two the very first day of school, but I couldn't pinpoint a precise reason why we shared so much animosity. I suppose it was one of those silent pack things. You know, when one of your friends hates someone else, you kind of go along with it just because you value the word of your friend over some random stranger.

But then again, Alicia had never shown the slightest feelings of friendly hospitality towards me. She was always trying to pick an argument or shooting me glares that could melt butter, across the room.

It was like hating each other was the only thing we knew how to do, so why change the routine? I guess if you look past everything, she's an all right girl. But I wouldn't know. Her main mission in life seems to be getting on my very last nerve. I couldn't very well back down, now could I?

"Oy, George, c'mon over here a minute!" Fred yelled from across the pitch.

I let out a sigh and waited a moment, enabling the bludger hurdling towards my nose to make contact with my bat. I sent it screeching up into the sky and across the air like a fully ignited rocket, then swiftly zoomed over to my twin. His bright and mischievous grin was wide and reached all the way to the tips of his ears. I frowned, knowing that he was up to something. Fred just doesn't whip out that grin for anything, you know.

By my suspicions, he had just generated a brilliant idea.

"All right, what are you thinking this time?" I demanded, alert and aware for the bludger.

Fred chuckled, his eyes darting across the pitch, copying my action.

"This is even more brilliant than my original plan!"

"Spill," I urged, taking a rapid glance at his beaming expression.

"I'm going to hit a bludger in your direction and you're going to purposely get nailed by it. You'll get hit while arguing with Alicia, so it'll **SEEM** like you were just distracted. When Alicia sees you fall, she'll instantly feel sorry for you and take you up to the hospital wing. And then, my dear brother, you can work your charms on her."

I laughed, instantly starting to tell him that he was truly crazy, when a light bulb went off in my head. The more I thought about it, the better it sounded. I knew that deep down inside of Alicia, there was a compassionate side just waiting to burst out. Every Ice Princess had a weakness; each stony queen had some trigger that commenced their thawing.

Fred's idea was so insane that it was ingenious. I wasn't looking forward to getting smashed in the face by a bludger, but it wasn't like I was going to die. It would heal in no time. Besides, possibly getting my nose shattered would be totally worth it, when I got revenge on Alicia. There were some things you just had to do, even if they landed you a week in the hospital wing.

The sacrifices I do, I tell you. Those are more amazing than top-notch grades. Not just anyone can display the talent and commitment Fred and I posses. You can't learn how to be an exceptional prankster from some student spell book. It's all about the style and wit, people, it's all about the style and wit.

"You know Fred, sometimes I really don't give you enough credit."

He chuckled, his eyes locking on an oncoming bludger.

"Too right, old chap. Anyway, here comes your chance. Hurry up and start arguing with her!"

I nodded and sped off towards Alicia. She was guarding the middle hoop, nodding as Angelina said something to her. I stopped directly next to her and in front of Fred, so he had a clear aim. I have to admit, I was a little nervous about getting pulverized by a spastic bludger, but I still wasn't going to move.

"Hey, Leesh. How are you this fine afternoon?"

Alicia let out a rough groan and shouted out an order of momentary cease to Katie and Angelina. She turned her broom to face me and I immediately threw her one of the infamous Weasley Grins. Alicia knitted her eyebrows together in confusion, her nose wrinkling in a very cute and unique way, laxly gripping the handle of the broom and studying my expression, trying to discover if I had alternative motives.

"What the bloody hell do you want, Weasley?"

I ran a hand through my shaggy hair, taking my sweet and merry time to leave her hanging and piss her off even more. Her gaze never left my face and I wondered if she could read between the lines and sparkle in my eyes. This really was too easy, I tell you; making her angry. By this year, it had become child's play.

"Can't a guy just ask a beautiful girl like you, how she's doing?" I smoothly questioned.

I slightly pouted, pretending to be offended.

She rolled her eyes, her lips painted with a shrewd smirk.

"Normally, yes. But when it's you, then I've learned that the best idea is to turn and run screaming," she melodiously teased.

I winked at her, wondering when Fred would usher the signal.

"You always assume the worst out of me. And you know what they say about assuming things," I scolded in a singsong voice.

Alicia let out a caustic huff.

"Just leave me alone, Weasley!" she barked with frustration.

"But-"

"George! Watch out!" Fred thundered.

I slowly turned my broom to face him, my eyes glued to the oncoming bludger. I pretended to be anxiously afraid and widened my eyes, my mouth falling into a gape. And before I could even raise my bat to give off the notion that I was genuinely caught off guard, the bludger violently smashed into the very center of my stomach, sending me clumsily spiraling off my broom, my eyes never leaving Alicia's, under their heavy hooded lids.

The wind roared in my ears like the sea during a tempestuous storm, my robes flapping around me like broken wings. Blinding pain instantly shot through my abdomen and into my head, piercing like a sharpened butcher knife into my skull. Alicia gasped in horror and swiftly swooped down as Oliver shouted my name.

The very last thing I saw before I collided and crashed to the hard ground was her shocked face, her hand desperately reaching out to save me.


	5. Flipped

-Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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A/N: Hey guys, thanks for being patient! And as usual, thank you for being excellent reviewers!

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When I regained consciousness, the biggest pair of worried, dark mocha eyes greeted me like two lanterns in a blackened night sky. The owner of the eyes recoiled back a bit and I attempted to figure out their identity. But my vision was beyond blurred as though a double-decker bus had just slammed me across the face.

I faintly remembered what happened, everything flashing in my mind in quick pictures. The faint smell of an unknown potion and antiseptic lingered in the air along with the clipped voice of Madam Pomfrey. My hand clutched my side and I discovered I was still wearing my Quidditch robes and practice clothes. It felt all so surreal, like I was wandering through a hazy dream I couldn't escape.

"Where am I?" I groggily demanded, hoping someone was around.

I slowly tried to sit up but was immediately exposed to a splitting headache; the worst I'd ever experienced in my entire life. With an obnoxiously loud groan, I flopped back onto the cool sheets of the bed, muttering curses to myself. I lazily let my hand wander up to my forehead and was surprised to discover it covered by a strip of gauze.

The owner of the beautiful brown eyes clicked their tongue and aggressively sighed. My eyes wearily scanned the area and then settled onto the person.

Their outline was starting to form; slightly tall yet at least five inches shorter than me, with strawberry blonde hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, Gryffindor Quidditch robes and a half-scowl, half-smirk that seemed all too familiar.

I blinked a few times and when I finally opened my eyes, I was viewing the uncomfortable stature of Alicia Spinnet. And most surprisingly of all, she was alone. I couldn't resist this irony of this situation. Despite the fact I had probably broken a few bones, I actually laughed.

Once again, Fred's crazy scheming had proved to be successful.

"You're in the hospital wing, of course," she crisply informed.

With much more effort than I was accustomed to, I threw her my award-winning and trademark grin.

"Thank you for the obvious."

She laughed and I noticed that her eyes seemed to be sparkling. Who knew that someone who hates you with every fiber in their body can posses such beautiful eyes? But wait a minute, what am I saying…. It probably must have been that blow to the head I had endured.

"Well, you _did_ ask where you were, so I answered."

I didn't let my grin falter. And neither did she. The laughter in her eyes didn't waver as the glimmer only brightened. I began to wonder why the two of us couldn't get along more often…why we always had to be at each other's throats instead of exchanging at least two words of civility.

But then again, I must admit that it's rather fun to tease her. When she's annoyed, she starts to flare her nostrils. When she's gotten to the stage of total rage, her ears are this lovely shade of brick red. It's quite amusing to watch her go through these stages of anger.

Almost as good as the time Fred went up behind Wood and pulled down his pants in front of this girl he'd been mad about for ages.

"Seeing as how I was momentarily knocked out by an object with the weight of a small baby, you have to understand one would obviously be disoriented."

She rolled her eyes, letting her crossed arms fall to her sides.

"Speaking of which, you hit the ground pretty hard. I was surprised that you didn't break_ every_ bone in your body!" she confessed.

I shifted my weight in the bed, letting my eyes fall to my legs and then back to her face.

"How badly am I injured?"

Madam P. was tending to another patient and I didn't feel like enduring her wrath by "bothering her with a question that could have waited a moment." Besides, wasn't the entire point of this plan to socialize with Alicia?

Alicia's face twisted into one of regret and sympathy. I was quickly reminded of the image of her hand reaching out to pull me to safety.

"You knocked your head and it started to bleed a bit, but Madam Pomfrey fixed that right away. You broke your right leg but she also retrieved a potion for that. It's on your bedside table."

I glanced at the bedside table and saw a glass of an unpleasantly thick looking, magenta colored liquid. I winced and turned my attention back to Alicia, who was laughing at my expression of disgust.

Could it be that this incident that had actually allowed Alicia to view me as a human being rather than complete and utter scum of the universe?

"Did she say how long I have to stay here?" I questioned.

Alicia took a few steps forward, so she was at the right side of the bed, my head facing her.

"Um…she said just for tonight. But she mentioned that if you want it to heal properly, you'll have to stay off that leg for this week. I think she's going to give you crutches," she answered.

I shrugged. That didn't sound _too_ bad. I mean, I was expecting far worse. I had no idea what the bloody hell crutches were, since I'd never seen or used them, but I had a slight idea. I guess Madam P. really can work wonders.

Alicia and I were uneasily silent for a moment as I pondered the situation some more and she glanced nervously around the room. I was curious as to why Alicia was the only one around and she knew so much about my condition. It was rather odd, considering the mutual disdain we had for each other.

"I was wondering something," I mysteriously began.

She appeared slightly panicked but immediately hid it.

"Yes?"

I levitated an eyebrow, a sly grin painting my lips.

"Why are you the only one here? I mean, no offense, but you're the **last **person I'd expect to be at my bed side," I noted.

Her face was deeply streaked with shades of pink and red. She fidgeted with her hands, attempting to give me a cool and collected smile that wouldn't reveal too much of her inner emotions.

It was like someone had just threatened to shout out her most guarded secret over the PA system. Or as though she had no knowledge of how to swim and was just pushed into the deepest part of the ocean.

It took her a moment to respond without babbling.

"You've been knocked out for two hours. The entire team came down when you were first admitted here. After the first hour, Madam Pomfrey said we were taking up valuable space and that you weren't going to wake up anytime soon, so everyone left except Fred and myself. Fred just left about ten minutes before you woke up," she softly informed.

Now I **really** was curious. She'd been here for two hours? That was truly mind-boggling.

"You stayed here for _two hours_?"

She swept her eyes down to the floor, suddenly stricken with bashfulness; something I had never seen in here before. Usually, the Alicia I bickered with was loud and outspoken, not afraid to say what she felt even if it meant stepping on a few toes.

She was so self-assured and so self-confident that nothing could shake her. But now, it was as though she was a small child, hesitant to say what she thought in fear of causing disruption. It felt kind of weird to see her change her personality so drastically in a matter of minutes.

"Yeah, I suppose so," she whispered.

Those killer eyes of hers locked onto mine and oddly enough, I felt my heart skip a beat. We were silent, neither of us wanting to break the moment though both of us had the strange and faint desire for it to all end.

This surprised me even more than discovering Alicia had stayed for the entire time of my unconsciousness. I mean, all of this was happening so fast. One moment we were arguing on the Quidditch pitch about the same stupid stuff and the next, I was thinking about how gorgeous her eyes were. It's the hormones, I tell you.

Damn you hormones!

I licked my lips, which seemed oddly chapped and dry.

"Why?" I demanded, my voice almost as quiet and strained as hers.

She shrugged, a shaking hand reaching up to brush away a lock of hair that had fallen out of the ponytail. Her face was weathered and smeared with dirt but for some reason, I realized it didn't take away from her beauty.

Like I've said before, I didn't _really_ hate her in first year and I've **always** thought she was on the pretty side. I just didn't expect for this thought to kick in at the least suitable moment. It was like my brain had been rewired during that fall.

"I-I don't know. I guess…I just wanted to make sure you were all right," she timidly replied.

My eyes widened. This really was all too…**creepy.** In a way, I was a little glad that she cared. In another way, I wanted to rewind time and go back to our usual bantering and teasing.

It was the only thing we knew how to do and how to do well. If I decided to go through with this….we would be stepping into the unknown, so to speak. And who knew what the hell _that_ would be like. But she'd hated me for so long and I was growing tired of being stationed on the end of her animosity.

"Seriously?"

She let out a frustrated groan, glaring at me.

"Yes, all right! Do I have to repeat myself twenty times?" she snapped.

Ah, _there _was the Spinnet I knew.

I chuckled.

"Nice to know that some things never change," I muttered.

She let out a sigh, tracing her finger over the wooden surface of the beside table and then letting them pause on the side of my bed, merely inches away from where my arm lay.

"Look, George….I-"she trailed off, peering into my eyes like a deer caught in blinding headlights.

"What?"

She rapidly blinked and fiercely shook her head.

"Never mind. It was nothing important."

I smirked; telling that she was obviously covering up for something.

"Fine."

"I'm going to go down back to the common room. I've got a monstrous amount of homework to do," she informed, with a tad bit of smug approval.

It was no secret that Fred and I don't really care about schoolwork. And like I've said before, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that Alicia is one amazingly smart girl.

Which is probably one reason why she absolutely hates me.

I mean, Fred and I have been absolutely dying to open up a Joke Shop or something after we graduated. You don't exactly need History of Magic for _that_, do you?

Naturally, seeing as how I'm the more rational twin, I do noticeably better in my subjects than Fred. I get average grades and when I actually try, I receive top marks. If only I tried more often and I could be giving Alicia a run for her money.

Despite her little intervention of superiority, I had the strange urge to talk to her some more. It was uncommon that we actually said two words without it exploding into an argument so this was totally foreign. But I didn't let her upcoming departure bother me. There were plenty of other opportunities.

"Tell everyone I said hi," I apathetically ordered.

She firmly nodded.

"I will. Now….you sure you're, you know, _all right_ for the time being?"

The smirk on my face broadened and turned into a sly yet goofy grin. I looked down and her hand cautiously hovered above my arm, as though she was mentally debating the pros and cons of resting it there.

"I'm shocked to hear that Alicia Spinnet actually cares about my welfare," I teased.

She let out a groan of annoyance and pulled her hand away as though she'd been burned. I let my eyes bore into hers, as if challenging her to make a scene about her recent action.

"You're **impossible**, George Weasley!" she declared with irritation.

"Why thank you, love. Just what a crippled Quidditch player likes to hear on his death bed," I dramatically shot back with thick sarcasm.

She rolled her eyes.

"Oh, hush up. You're not on your death bed. Seeing as how you're obviously fine, I'm going to leave."

"Fine! But just remember that the last words you said to George Weasley were filled with contempt that only resulted in his untimely expiration!"

She crinkled her nose in disgust and swiftly turned on her heel. When she had traveled a few beds away, she turned around once more and threw me a smirk to mirror my own.

"And George, try not to get into anymore trouble. You know that Wood expects you back in the air as soon as you're healed."

I pretended to be hurt and gaped.

"Me? Get into trouble? How dare you even **suggest** such a despicable thought!" I proclaimed with sardonic indignation.

She airily laughed and shook her head, walking away.

"Goodnight George!"

I waved, even though her back was to me. I was unable to tear my eyes away from her, staring at this girl I'd only associated with utter hatred, for the past five years. And it was as though I was witnessing her for the first time as though she were a stranger. Something had changed tonight; I could just feel it.

Some kind of glass ceiling that had been lingering between us **had **been smashed with a silent sledgehammer. Could it possibly be that this plan was going to work better than I'd ever imagined? Could it be that for the first time, Alicia was not viewing me through visions of hatred but of something else that remained unlabeled?

I watched her walk away and out the doors, her feet echoing throughout the lonely corridors.


	6. If I Knew What To Say

-Disclaimer: I own nothing.

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A/N: A big thanks to all my reviewers. Seriously, you guys are the best.

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So, one might say that my entire plan backfired on me, considering how I was reduced to this weird contraption so suspiciously called "crutches." Actually, they aren't _that_ quite difficult to manage. A monkey to use them, if you really want to know. It's made of two pieces of sturdy wood, with cushioned rests at the top where you rest your armpits under.

It took a lot of the pressure off my leg and it was a great excuse to flirt with the girls. It's that whole "I'm wounded so let me save you, Florence Nightingale" type scenario. They see a victim and they attack like a parade of bees. In one day, about fifteen girls offered to carry my books for me. It slightly made me wonder if I should break a leg or two, more often.

Wood, the overly fanatical Qudditich captain that he is, consequentially forced me to attend practice, despite the fact I was a temporary cripple.

In his own eloquent and charming words, he proclaimed, "I don't bloody care if you'd been in a **full body cast**, Weasley! You drag yourself to each and every one of our practices, rain or shine!"

Quite a motivational fellow, isn't he?

Fred thought this was quite amusing and in the locker room, before each practice session, he so valiantly dedicated the team's hard work to his, "Handicapped Brother." I don't really understand how being handicapped can be so entertaining, but I never said my brother and I were exactly alike.

It was safe to say that none of the teachers eased up the workload, just because of my injury. I suppose Professor Snape assumed that I broke my leg on purpose. In a strange way, he's right I suppose; though I'd never give _him_ the benefit of the doubt, the slimy old git.

Things between Alicia and me had become even tenser than before, but this was not the previous hostile and caustic disdain. This was something else, something I couldn't quite put my finger on. It was dripping with that awkward civility that we'd endured the night in the hospital wing. We'd cut down on the bickering and teasing and had fairly increased on a few polite words, but it all felt fake; forced.

I'd asked Fred for advice, but he frankly didn't have a clue. Besides, it probably wasn't the best idea to go to my brother, of all people, for helpful hints on how to woo a girl. But surprisingly, I had noticed that Angelina was starting to really warm up to him.

They still teased and argued with each other like a rabid dog and cat, but the attraction was definitely blossoming. Fred was taking every opportunity to touch Angelina and Angelina yet had to forcefully slap him; the reaction I'd presumed she'd execute.

Like I've said, my brother may give off the illusion that he's a few crayons short of a twenty-four box, but there's a method to his madness.

The third day that I was forced to endure crutches had been nothing short of ordinary. I'd woken up late, threw on some random jeans and a sweater, hastily buttoned my robes and rambled down the stairs, the wooden crutches creating an obnoxious thud as they hit each step. Fred and Lee were waiting for me when I approached the common room, already showered and dressed.

"Ah, the British are coming! The British are coming! Someone alert the troops!" Lee jokingly announced.

Fred snickered and I instantly threw up my middle finger, but ceased when I realized crutches were holding me up and if I was thrown-off balance, I would come toppling to the ground. Lee and Fred both chuckled at this and we proceeded to The Great Hall for breakfast.

The girls were already there, sitting in a row together and picking at their food like hens, while gossiping about who knows what. Wood was sitting at the end, next to Alicia, scouring over Quidditch plays scribbled down on a piece of parchment. But I happened to notice something alarming. Every few seconds, he'd take a moment to pause and gaze at Alicia in this really strange way, almost as if he had a _crush_ on her or something.

I really must have fallen to the ground harder than I'd imagined. The guys and I made our way over to the table. Lee snagged a seat across from Katie and Fred sat next to Lee, across from Angelina. That left me the seat across from Alicia.

I leaned the crutches against the table and slowly eased myself onto the bench. Fred had already started wolfing down a pile of pancakes, while Lee was successfully flirting with Katie and filling his barren plate.

"Morning ladies…and Wood," I greeted.

"Hi George," Katie cheerfully replied.

"Weasley," Angelina curtly responded.

Wood nodded his head, not even bothering to look up.

"Oh, George how are you? Everything all right?" Alicia sympathetically asked.

Angelina stopped talking to Katie and gazed at Alicia in wonder. Fred elbowed Lee in the ribs and shot him a smirk. Wood continued to feverishly study his plays though I could tell this had caught his attention. I smirked at this and then replaced it with an easy-going grin.

"I'm fine. Fine as anyone with a broken leg can be," I casually replied.

She rolled her eyes, though was unable to erase her smile. She's beautiful really. It's a shame I didn't have the guts to tell her. I can put myself in front of a speeding bludger but I can't tell a bloody girl how I think she's attractive. Pathetic, really. The next thing you know, I'll be almost as bad as Ron. And that's like the bottom of the totem pole.

Breakfast went normal, by my standards. Katie and Lee flirted up a storm, Fred attempted to woo Angelina but was shot down and Wood was so engrossed in his Quidditch business that he would have stayed at the table forever, if I hadn't whacked him with the back of one of my crutches.

We all had Potions, first thing in the morning with the exception of Katie and Oliver. He's a year older than we are and Katie is a year younger. So Lee gave Katie a hug goodbye and she walked with Oliver down the opposite hallway, which both were heading in the same direction.

I was hobbling along, pretty much by myself. Fred was in front, yet again attempting to win Angelina's affections. Lee was off to the side of me but a few impatient people were whizzing by, creating a gap of people between us.

I have to admit, it was pretty challenging trying to carry a huge book, a roll of parchment, a bottle of ink **and** a quill all at the same time, while balancing. I was counting on being approached by some girl, but no one had offered her services yet.

That is, until Alicia glided forward. I hadn't even noticed that she'd been behind me the entire time. I have a short attention span, you know. But the next thing I knew, someone was grabbing my stuff out of my hands and I had no idea who the culprit was.

"It looked like you could use some help," she observed, shifting the books under her arm.

"Yeah, thanks a lot," I gratefully commended.

But it came out more like, "Yearh, thanzz uh lop," due to the fact I was gripping my quill in my mouth.

Hey, I don't have eight arms, you know! I had to have some place to put the blasted thing.

Alicia laughed and reached up, carefully relieving the quill from my mouth. Her fingers brushed my lips and I felt a tug at my stomach, my eyes unable to move from hers.

"Uh, thanks."

She gulped, looking at her hand for a moment, then letting it flop to her side as she focused back on my face. You see what I mean? All this polite civility crap was truly disturbing and…well, just plainweird.

I would have rather gone back to the days of bickering and fighting, only because it was so routine and normal I didn't have to think about how lovely her eyes were or how much I never really appreciated her smile.

"No problem," she whispered.

We continued walking side by side, in silence. We reached the dungeons and settled into our regular seats. I sat with Fred, in which Lee pulled up another stool and joined us. Alicia zipped to Angelina's side and the two sat a few rows behind us.

"What's going on with you and Leesh?" Lee demanded, studying me with confusion.

I shrugged.

"To be honest, I have no idea."

And it was totally true. I had no idea how I was going to get myself out of this jam. The plan was to make Alicia fall for me and then get the last laugh by breaking her heart.

But how was I supposed to even be around her, when I kept having these eerie reactions that consisted of spurting out horrible poetry about her eyes and _"the wonder of her smile"_ and all that garbage? They should print out pamphlets about this sort of revenge. Maybe all's fair in love and war, but no one ever said what the exact rules are. I guess that's why everything's fair. Because there aren't any rules or regulations to abide by.

He laughed, along with Fred.

"Oh, laugh all you want Fred. But it seems to me that no matter how much you shower her compliments, Angelina's never going to even **think** about going out with you."

Before Fred could protest and Lee could ask any more questions, Professor Snape waltzed in, slamming the door behind him.

"First things are first. I'm going to hand back your essays from last week. And I am **not** surprised to say that your_ pathetic_ attempt at writing has only resulted in the most useless and horrible pieces of toxic waste that I've ever had the displeasure of reading," he coldly declared.

Everyone groaned and he stiffly marched over to his desk, to retrieve the pile of tightly rolled parchments. I rolled my eyes at Snape and hoped for the best. He had made us write an essay about the ingredients and preparation antidote of a werewolf's bite.

I'd actually put some effort into this one and was expecting at least an 80 out of 100. Potions was fairly easy for me, considering the fact Fred and I always fooled around with them when attempting to formulate new practical joke items. The subject isn't that hard really; if you just put some thought into it.

Besides, it's well known that Snape hates everyone and anything Gryffindor. He never has a nice word to say about our homework.

"The highest passing mark was a 95. The lowest…well, I'll let you all discover that out amongst yourselves," he sneered.

Snape handed out the first few essays, in which it was followed by loud cries of indignation and horror.

"Crap, this is the essay I think I didn't do that well on. I forgot the last paragraph. I was out taking a walk with Katie and forgot all about it," Lee bitterly whispered to Fred and me.

Fred chuckled.

"Oy, when are you going to stop fucking around and just ask her out, mate? Anyone with two eyes can see that she fancies you," my brother defiantly argued.

Lee sheepishly grinned.

"Soon. Very soon."

"Ah, Weasley, Weasley and Jordan. I was disappointed in your essay Jordan. Usually, I receive better work from you than this pathetic piece of toilet paper. Weasley…there has already been enough said about your work that I do not have the effort to repeat," Snape acidly hissed.

With that, he tossed the three rolls of parchment on our table and stalked down the row to his next victims. Lee was scowling at Snape but when he tore open his essay, he looked relieved.

"What'd you get?" Fred demanded, tearing open his own essay.

I reached for my roll of parchment at the end of the table and untied the string holding it together.

"Surprisingly, I got a 78! I thought I'd failed, from the way he kept babbling on," Lee noted.

"Gah, that bloody wanker," Fred growled, his eyes shooting fireballs at the grade marked at the top of the paper.

"Bad grade, mate?" Lee gently wondered.

Fred quickly rolled up the parchment once more, looking absolutely frustrated and disappointed.

"I got a 65. Can you believe it?"

Lee and I exchanged a look. After a moment of silence, the three of us started laughing.

"Ha, who am I kidding? It's still passing right? Say, what did you get George?" Fred replied, his tone significantly cheerier than before.

I unrolled the parchment and my eyes widened.

"You won't believe it, but I got a 90!" I answered with much disbelief.

I had to blink a few times, to see if my mind wasn't playing tricks on me. But the grade remained were it was, in bright red ink. This was probably one of the most amazing events of my life! I, George Weasley, had gotten one of the top grades in the class!

"Holy hell, lemme see that!" Lee ordered.

I let him snatch the paper out of my hand. Fred and Lee both studied it with great interest and awe, and then Lee set it back on the tabletop.

"Well, I'll be damned. Who would have guessed…" Fred began, letting out a low whistle.

Honestly, I was in shock myself. Snape went on to complain more about how we all shouldn't expect great success in the future, due to our incompetence to even decently write a first-year level composition. But I was too stunned to bother to pay him any mind.

When class ended, Fred scrambled up to chase after Angelina and Lee waited for me to gather my things. He was about to carry some of books and belongings, when Alicia suddenly appeared at my side, intently gazing up at me with this mixture of hesitation and frenzied energy I'd never seen before.

"I've got it, Lee," she simply said.

Lee raised an eyebrow, gazing at me in question and I waved him off.

"I'll catch up with you later, mate."

Lee shrugged, put down my stuff, bid his farewell, and then walked out of the classroom. By this time, we were the only two left in the classroom, besides Snape. Silently, Alicia took my parchment, quill, bottle of ink and Potions book and waited for me to get situated on my crutches. We were just out the door, when I blurted out the first thing on my mind.

"What do you want?" I curiously asked.

She looked up at me, startled.

"What makes you ask that?"

I chuckled, hobbling along.

"It's kind of rare for you to actually stay behind and help me, isn't it?"

Her mouth curled into a smirk.

"You're too quick for me. Actually, I have a favor to ask from you," she slowly informed.

I was certainly hooked now. Maybe this whole "I'm wounded so pity me" act was working more to my benefit than I'd primarily thought.

"What is it?"

She paused, her eyes sweeping the ground and then focusing back on me. She bit her lip, a little fearful to ask her question; the embarrassment clearly evident on her face as her cream colored skin flushed with the hue of strawberry ice cream.

"I…I overheard that you got a ninety on your Potions essay. And…well, seeing as how recently, I haven't been doing to well on my essays, I was wondering if you could…you know, give me some help?"

She looked so vulnerable…so unsure…so shaky…so unlike the person radiating and dripping with confidence and strength that usually fired some witty comeback in response to my teasing. Was I starting to fall for her? I have no idea. If had asked me, I would have completely denied it.

I would have made an expression of disgust, stuck out my tongue and proclaimed that Alicia Spinnet was not even a casual acquaintance and more so my mortal enemy. But deep down inside, we both knew that ever since that night in the hospital wing, something was changing between us. Something that was drawing us closer to each other but both of us wanted to run in the other direction.

I couldn't explain it then and I can't explain it now.

All I know is that when I responded with a simple, "Sure", that I wouldn't be able to predict the fiasco I was willingly launching myself into.

As the word left my lips, she broadly smiled up at me and I almost indulged into the temptation of holding her free hand with mine…but I let the moment pass me by. We continued to slowly walk in awkward yet pleasant silence, our footsteps in synch with other down the barely populated hallways.


	7. You're My Favorite Mistake

It was the first day of our planned tutoring session and for some reason, I was as nervous as hell. I was lingering around the library; my crutches propped up against the table like some kind of wooden mark of territory, various books, quills and scraps of parchment scattered on the table.

I didn't have any clue how to proceed with the lesson. The only topic I knew how to instruct was the art of royally pissing off Professor Snape. And now someone was expecting me to play teacher for the day?

I don't think so. I had talked to Fred about the situation and he got as excited as a little kid in a candy store. He thought it was the perfect opportunity to put the moves on Alicia, in benefit of "the plan."

I was in a real pickle. On one hand, I was all for plotting against Spinnet and seeking ultimate revenge. On the other hand, I surprisingly was starting to consider that toying with her emotions wasn't the best way to quench my thirst for getting the last laugh. I was really torn inside, you see. But I sure as hell didn't want to admit it.

I definitely wasn't in love with her at that moment, but something was there...

It was a little past dinner time and the only people dumb enough to hang around the library were all the Egg-Head Ravenclaw students, Hermione Granger and well, myself. It was relatively quiet, the only sound the frantic scratching of quill against parchment and an occasional cough.

I'd attempted to set off a firework in hopes of lightening the somber mood, but I was only attacked by an angry mob. Seeing as how I didn't fancy getting beaten over the head with a Herbology book, I shuffled to the very back and found an empty table.

All the silence was really starting to irk me. Instead of starting on my homework, I started brainstorming ideas for practical jokes. Or at least, I tried. Five minutes into my brilliant scheming, the image of _Alicia_ would pop into my head.

Very annoying, indeed.

Finally, before I could tear my hair out with frustration, Alicia decided to appear. Her eyes darted around the library, looking for me, her books clutched to her chest. Her hair was held back by a black headband, her lips curled into a half-frown. She eventually spotted me and made her way over. And then the anxiety really started to kick in.

As she started strolling over, I wasn't concentrating on how much work we'd have to accomplish but how _amazing_ she looked. And when I, of all people, start blurting out intellectual garbage about how amazinga girl looks or something, then you know something catastrophic has taken place!

She plopped down across from me, being careful not to knock over my crutches and greeted me with a polite smile.

"I'm surprised you showed up," she quickly confessed, laying her hands flat on the tabletop.

I rose an eyebrow.

"And why's that? I said I'd be here, didn't I?" I insisted.

She laughed, more so to herself than at my statement.

"I know. But considering our…history, it's safe to say that I've always had trouble knowing when you're being completely serious."

I shrugged, throwing her a lopsided grin.

"Yeah, well, this time was different. Besides, you really **do** need to lighten up a little. It's not good for a person's health to take things too seriously all the time," I argued.

She smirked.

"**I** need to lighten up? George, don't you think that's sort of impossible? You're always making fun of me. You insult me; I try to redeem my humility. We constantly bicker. You manage to push every one of my buttons and you expect me to take this all in good fun?"

Her eyes had lost their playful sparkle, her smirk transforming into a pensive frown.

I scratched my head at that one. Since when did I make fun of her? What in the world was she getting at? I honestly thought all our arguing was just fun and games. I didn't really mean it when I said she was uglier than our family's invasion of garden gnomes. But hey, that was like in first year! Personally, I think my maturity level has increased. I mean, what can I say? I'm a guy. We don't usually realize we're hurting a girl's feelings unless they tell us.

Contrary to female desires, most guys aren't the most sensitive creatures on the face of the Earth. But that's because when we're around other guys, we don't have to watch around eggshells and watch what we say.

Girls like to gossip, mainly because they don't have the balls to say what they really think to another's face. Guys on the other hand, we occasionally talk but it's not our sole source of entertainment. Our world doesn't revolve around shopping and giggling about each other's fashion disasters.

"Wait, wait a minute. What do you mean I make fun of you? We argue. We fight. It's what we do," I meekly defended.

She shrugged, trying to remain indifferent about the whole topic.

"I don't know…it's just that, sometimes…I get tired of it, ok? Some of the stuff you say can really hurt. I try not to take it to heart, but being called "uglier than a lawn gnome" in front of the entire Quidditch team isn't easy to forget."

"I'm sorry about that, all right? But wasn't that in like…first year?" I reminded, emphasizing the last two words.

She gave a short laugh.

"It was two weeks ago, you asshole," she teasingly corrected.

I turned redder than my hair.

"Whoops. That incident must have…slipped my mind."

Her dazzling smile instantly turned back into a blank line.

"Well, whatever. Maybe I'm just being oversensitive," she crisply guessed.

She started to open her Guide To The Most Common Elixirs And Their Origins but I just had to convince her that I wasn't a total wanker.

"Alicia, listen. If you hadn't of mentioned anything about it, then I would have never have knew. So I'll try and…censor myself, I guess."

She looked up, her lips curling into a slow smile.

"Censorship and George Weasley are two things I thought I'd never hear in the same sentence."

I chuckled and before I could stop myself, I placed my hand over hers. I didn't actually realize my action at first and was confused as to her gaping expression of total shock.

That is, until I looked down.

I blushed for the second time that day and hastily shoved both hands under the table. Guilty was plastered all over my face with permanent ink and I found that I couldn't look her in the eye.

It was truly frightening. I was starting to lose my control around her. Instead of wooing her, as I'd originally planned, it appeared as though I was developing something for her. The tables had been turned even before I'd learned the rules of the game, but I was fiercely clinging to bitter denial.

Hey, I may be ½ of Hogwart's Infamous Twin Pranksters but that doesn't mean I don't have a heart.

I cleared my throat, my eyes darting around to see if anyone had witnessed my screw-up. But the EggHeads continued to valiantly plow through their mounds of homework and Hermione was peering so intently at some ancient encyclopedia that her nose was pressed up against the page. At least my embarrassing moment hadn't been a public show.

"Er, well….yeah. If what I say bothers you that much, I'll…do something about it. Yeah. I mean…I…oh, fuck it," I mumbled, my words colliding into one another like rocks against a window.

I didn't know what the hell I was trying to say and neither did she. We looked at each other in awkward silence for a moment. It was worse than like, walking in on your parent's getting jiggy with it on the kitchen table.

She forced out a giggle and turned to a page in the book.

"Let's just get started, shall we?"

I let out a huge sigh and nodded.

If I kept this up, I was going to have my head so far up my ass that I'd actually start generating sappy love poems like Percy did to Penelope. Ugh. The thought just made me want to puke all over myself.

I tried to offer her my trademark grin that made all the girls swoon, but I kept imaging myself buying her roses and staying up to generate Shakespearean sonnets. The girl was like a disease. First I harbored this extreme hatred for her and now I was worrying that I'd turn into my older brother.

"Good idea."


	8. Little White Lies

Tutoring went surprisingly well. I managed to keep my temper and sensibility, without blubbering out something incredibly stupid, rude or embarrassing. We actually accomplished a lot in an hour and I was quite shocked to see that I actually possessed the powers to help someone with their homework. I mean, look who we're talking about here. Me, of all people!

Most astounding of all, we were able to have a civil conversation without tearing each other's throats out. I couldn't help but wonder: Could this be the start of something more? I walked with her back to the common room and then we exchanged a quick goodbye.

Alicia sprinted up the stairs to the girl's dorms and I carefully hobbled my way into my own dorm room. Fred was sitting on his bed, flipping through some random magazine. Lee was no where to be found. When he heard the squeaking of my crutches, he tossed the magazine to the floor and sprang to his feet.

"So, what happened?" he eagerly demanded. He was practically bouncing on the balls of his toes like a grasshopper.

I shrugged, hesitant to tell him everything. I shuffled over to our desk, slid out the oak chair, then propped my crutches against the drawers. With a sigh, I plopped onto the seat and observed Fred's enthusiastic expression, silently generating a way to admit the truth but with as little details as possible.

"Nothing. I helped her with her homework. I attempted **not** to make an ass of myself and surprisingly, it worked. I'm supposed to hook up with her again next week."

Fred wiggled his eyebrows, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oy, did you say _hook up_?" he playfully leered.

I rolled my eyes. I guess I had underestimated my brother's maturity. I know we're nearly sixteen, but I swear, it's sometimes like he just discovered that girls _aren't_ from another planet and _no_, they aren't carrying around "cooties."

I really am the only sensible male sibling in the family. Ron turns to cremated Jell-O at the sight of Hermione, Fred's engaged in a self-competition to be Hogwart's next gigolo and Percy…well, let's just say that he's been long lost to the clutches known as Penelope Clearwater.

"Not like that, you moron. I meant as in _get together_. Arrange another study session. You know."

Fred chuckled, believing half of what I'd said. He gave my shoulder a light shove, his grin still intact.

"Well, then I guess that means everything is working beautifully? I mean, she wouldn't have set up another study date thingy if she didn't have _some_ feelings for you," he optimistically reasoned.

I rolled my eyes for the second time that night.

"It's not a date, it's just…I don't know. Whatever. Anyway, how are things with you and Angelina?"

I desperately wanted to steer away from the subject of Alicia, especially since this recent turn of events. I had the ominous feeling that if Fred discovered I was having second thoughts and second guesses about his great, big scam, then all hell would break loose. Besides, I still had some things to figure out.

It was obvious that the more time I spent around Alicia, the more attracted to her I was starting to become. And I still didn't know if this was a bad thing or a good thing.

It was a very sticky situation I'd planted myself into. Continue on with the plan, achieve incredible revenge and recognition but smash the heart of former enemy turned crush. Stop the plan, have Fred get pissed off at me, throw away a chance for victory and satisfaction and possibly still have Alicia discover everything. Either way, I was totally fucked over.

"Excellent! While you and Alicia were "hooking up" in the library, Angelina and I wandered around the grounds. It was a little dark but the solitude gave me the perfect opportunity to put my arm around her."

I laughed.

"And she didn't slap you?"

Fred smirked and shook his head. There was that cocky grin again, like he'd just won a vacation to the Bahamas or something. Lucky bastard.

"Nope."

"She didn't curse you out to the high heavens and vow to never speak to you again?"

Fred shook his head once again.

"Negative. I think she's really starting to fancy me. Which is completely weird, right? I mean, we've hated each other for years and all of a sudden, I can't-I mean,_ she_ can't keep her eyes off of me," he boasted.

This time it was my turn to smirk. Just because I was physically challenged didn't mean I'd ignored Fred's blunder.

Oh yes, I'd definitely heard his slip of speech. So maybe the tables had turned on both accounts. I was starting to like Alicia. However, despite the veil of pompous bragging, Fredwas starting to develop feelings for Angelina. Merlin, this was transforming into some kind of bad soap opera.

"You fancy her, don't you?"

Fred snorted, appearing as though this suggestion were as horrible and outrageous as a suggestion to become life long friends with Draco Malfoy.

"Are you joking? Of course not. Ok, so maybe this summer did some wonders on her. But just because I admit she's gorgeous doesn't mean I want to run off and elope with her," my twin fiercely argued.

My smirk widened as Fred's grin turned into a scowl.

"I never said you wanted to marry the girl. You know, for some odd reason, I'm beginning to think the both of us are _way_ over our heads," I hesitantly confessed.

Fred's scowl vanished as fast as a fox avoiding a hunter's bullet.He plopped down on the bed across from the desk and cradled his chin in the palm of his hand, his mind drifting off, somewhere far away from the small quarters of our room.

"Somehow, I think you're going to be absolutely right."

* * *

The next day was a Friday. Naturally, just about everyone was focusing on the clock and naturally, by third period, all the students were so distracted from their lessons that many teachers forfeited any attempts to control their rowdy classes. Potions seemed to be even more boring than usual and I took a rather nice nap in History of Magic.

When the final class of the day was over and done with, I had to hold back the urge to get up and cheer. Well, that is, if I was actually capable of standing without falling flat on my face. My leg appeared to be recovering well, though. I was expected to be off crutches and back out on the field in less than a week or two.

It was close to two-thirty and a brilliant fall afternoon. Upcoming December was about to viciously swallow November and the air was a tad bit chilly. But that couldn't stop the glorious rays of the sun. Lots of people had run inside to fetch their scarves and were just hanging around the grounds, goofing off. I was strolling out of the green house, when a very familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.

"George! George, hold on a minute!"

I struggled to turn around and was greeted by the nervous yet shining face of Alicia Spinnet. I ignored the unsettling feeling in my stomach, like I'd just been sucker punched by Hagrid.

"Oh, hey Spinnet," I greeted, throwing her a warm smile.

She flashed me a smile, peered at my crutches for a second, then let out an apprehensive giggle, as though she'd suddenly forgotten how to properly speak.

"Thank God it's Friday, right?"

I laughed and we began walking together.

"You can say that again. Where are you off to?" I politely wondered.

She shrugged, shifting her books under her other arm.

"I don't really know. I was going to go catch up with Angelina, but I think she's off with your brother, of all people."

I rose an eyebrow, my expression of false disbelief. It wasn't any news to me that Angelina was spending more time with Fred. It was a part of the plan, right? But if I didn't act shocked around Alicia, she'd suspect something. And I couldn't have her putting the puzzle pieces together, now could I?

"That's interesting."

She nodded, silent for a second, as though she was allowing herself to be convinced.

"It's more than interesting! Those two have been bickering with each other for years. Oh well, I guess it's like what they say. There's a fine line between love and hate."

With that, she met my eye and blushed. I offered her a diluted smile to hide the thoughts brewing inside my mind. Oh Alicia, if you only _knew_ how close I was coming to crossing that line…Oh, how very close indeed.

"I guess you could say that," I mumbled.

We were almost to the back entrance to the school and I wondered why Alicia had randomly flagged me down, out of the blue.

"Look, George, I just wanted to say…thank you for helping me with Potions. My parents would crucify me if I got less than excellent marks in _any_ of my classes," she gravely admitted.

"Your welcome. But I'm sure your parents wouldn't inflict too much damage if you got a bad mark here or there."

She shook her head, laughing softly to herself.

"No, trust me. They're both pretty strict when it comes to grades. Especially my mom. She was in Ravenclaw and at the top of her class. So of course, she wishes I were some kind of child prodigy. Which I'm not."

I looked at her through the corner of my eye.

"Aw, c'mon, Leesh. You're wicked smart. Smarter than I am. So you're not the next Hermione Granger. Who cares? But that doesn't mean you're an idiot. Jeez, my parents would probably piss themselves with happiness if I brought home the marks you get," I argued.

It's true. My parents are _always_ complaining that Fred and I don't "apply ourselves" when it comes to schoolwork. Well, it's mostly my Mum that does all the patronizing. Our Dad's certainly not ok with our grades, but he doesn't get all worked up like Mum does. The both of us don't even get _that_ terrible of grades anyway.

Ok, so Fred's maybe failed a class or two here and there. But we've got enough brains to know that flunking out of everything isn't anything to be proud of. Lately, Fred and I have been getting decent grades. Nothing spectacular, nothing extraordinary, yet nothing dismal and atrocious. We're passing all of our classes and hey, that's good enough for us.

"You know, that's what gets me. I don't know about Fred, but if you can pull off a **ninety** in Potions, one of our hardest classes, then you're not giving yourself that much credit. You're smart too, George. The only difference between me and you, is that I happen to crack open a book once in awhile and you haven't opened your books since first year," she playfully informed.

I couldn't help but smile at that.

"I hate studying. I feel like it's such a waste of my time. Besides, I've tried to study before. Believe me. But I just get so distracted. I'll be reading about the Salem Witch Trials but be really thinking about what I'm going to have for breakfast tomorrow."

She laughed, a laugh that went from ear to ear and caused her eyes to vibrantly shimmer. And then we were silent for a moment. And then it got me thinking.

Maybe I should just confess to her now, tell her about the entire plan and confess that I was falling for her, falling for her with every minute she smiled, every second she laughed. And that maybe I was just about the biggest moron on this side of the pond for makingendure such a shambut I was totally and honestly sorry.

"George…what?" insisted.

"Huh?"

Dumbfound eyes met curious mocha orbs.

"You were staring at me. Do I have something on my face?" she shrilly demanded.

I quickly shook my head.

"No…I was just…thinking, that's all…And…well…I have to tell you something," I shakily fumbled.

I was choking on my own words, I was choking on my own fear, the fear of rejection and the fear that after what I said, she'd never look at me the same way.

It was a hit or miss situation and I was trying to hit a target with my eyes fully closed. She halted in her tracks and I copied her action, firmly planting the legs of the crutches into the rocky ground.

"What is it?"

I bit my lip, looked down at the ground, then back into her face. Could I do it? Could I actually go through with this? Would it be worth it? Panic was assaulting my logic, threatening to gain control.

No…I couldn't do this. Not here, not right now…not when everything between us seemed to be heading in such a positive direction. I couldn't screw this up…I'd just have to postpone it for another day.

"I don't really hate you. Actually, I don't hate you. I've never hated you. I just…I guess I was being stupid, is all."

She was in shock. I looked at her, studied her face, thinking that I'd just blown my cover and she was about to run off laughing. But her expression brightened and I felt relieved.

"Do you want to hear a secret of mine?" she whispered.

"Sure."

Her smile widened.

"I don't hate you either."

It was odd yet enthralling at the same time. It was funny to think that a few simple words could change around an entire history of hostility and animosity. We resumed our walking and finally found ourselves inside.

"You know, if I wasn't physically challenged at the moment, I'd make a move to hold your hand," I slyly announced.

"Maybe we can just pretend," she joked.

I followed her down the hall and discovered that she had directed me to the library. Confused, I searched her face for an answer.

"What are we doing here?"

I shifted her weight from foot to foot, suddenly uncomfortable.

"I promised I'd meet Oliver here."

Shock. Bewilderment. Curiosity. That's it, the trick is to keep breathing.

"Why, may I ask?"

Alicia shrugged, though she knew the answer.

"….He wanted to hang out after class today. Or something. I don't really know. It's nothing. But he's waiting, so I'd better go. You know how Oliver is about punctuality."

She forced out a strained laugh and I restrained the more zealous side of my emotions.

"I guess you'd better go meet him then. Wouldn't want to keep old _Ollie_ waiting, now would we?"

She sighed, shot me an indescribable look, then offered me a guilty smile.

"I'll see you later, George."

With that, she turned on her heel and swayed into the library. I stared at her retreating figure, then hobbled away, without bothering to say goodbye. Just when I thought everything was smooth sailing, something or rather _someone_ had to enter the picture and complicate everything. So, in addition to falling for my former enemy and participating in a spiteful plan to seek revenge upon her, I was jealous.

Yes folks, George Weasley was jealous and just like any sad bloke who's too big of an arse to admit it, he didn't know what to do.


	9. Strange And Beautiful

-Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

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-A/N: I'm baaaaaccck! Vacation was nice and it was even nicer (if that's a word), to come back and read all your reviews for my various projects. Thank you all for taking your time to read and review!

* * *

I hadn't bothered to hound Alicia for details about her so-called "meeting" with Wood, but the blasted incident was playing on my mind like a movie reel. It was nagging me beyond all reason. Fred advised me to let it go but I wouldn't listen to him. Why should anyone, for that matter, take advice from a guy that still sleeps in Superhero boxers?

I decided to confront Katie about my dilemma, seeing as how she had the inside scoop on Alicia's insane and agitating mind. Fortunately, for my benefit, when I scoured the grounds for Katie, Alicia was no where to be found. Then again, her absence could have been due to the fact that she was lingering around Oliver, an unsettling fact to say the least.

"Katie! Hey, hold on a minute!" I bellowed.

It was yet another decent Sunday afternoon. Thus, it was clear that everyone was attempting to make the most of their last day of freedom, before the long academic week breached.

Sadly, I had missed out on Lee and Fred's ritual prank extravaganza of our dear caretaker, Filch, but in contrast, I would finally be rid of my crutches in three days.

I had asked around and ended up back in the common room, where people had mentioned they'd spotted Katie. Hobbling through the portrait hole with the best of my crippled abilities, I flagged her down. She was sitting in front of the fireplace, reading one of those stupid fashion magazines and eating an entire roll of chocolate chip cookies.

"George? What's the matter? Where's the fire?"

She put down her magazine and gazed up.

I shook my head and then hobbled along some more, until I was in earshot.

"Look, I know this is going to sound really strange, but is Alicia going out with Wood?"

She rose an eyebrow, completely confused yet completely intrigued.

"And why should I answer a question like that?" she mischievously challenged.

I shifted my weight, looked around a bit, wondering why the hell things couldn't be easier.

"Because….I'm your boyfriend's best mate?" I offered an impish grinning, flashing my pearly whites.

She shook her head, grinning. Yeah, I bet she took some sick and twisted pleasure in holding all the information.

"Somehow, I don't think that's a good enough reason."

I let out a frustrated sigh, starting to become irritated.

"C'mon Kates, just tell me," I whined.

Katie laughed and I couldn't tell if she would spill the details or forever keep me in the dark.

"Why does it matter George? The last time I checked, you hated Alicia. Now all of a sudden you need to know her dating status? Something has to be up," she shrewdly observed.

I nodded, hoping that my act of patience and understanding would earn some brownie points.

"Yeah, well…things have changed this year. And who said I hated Alicia? Just because we banter all the time doesn't mean I hate her."

She snorted, picking up her magazine once more. I could tell I was on the verge of seeing the door. Katie was growing annoyed and I was growing impatient. Maybe asking her for the 411 wasn't such a great idea, after all.

"Katie…for once in my life, I'm serious, all right? I think….well, _hypothetically_ speaking, if I told you that I was…attracted to Alicia, would at least tell me if she was seeing Oliver?"

It was a gamble but you know what they say, desperate times call for desperate measures. I didn't get my hopes up but I have to admit, I was relieved when my statement caught Katie's interest. At this, she looked up, her aggravated expression transforming into strong bewilderment.

"Really? Well, I suppose, hypothetically speaking, I could let you know."

"All right then, it's settled. Since this is all hypothetically speaking," I began.

Katie smiled, as though she'd just seen some horribly cheesy and overly romantic reunion of two star-crossed lovers. I was tempted to suddenly tell her that I was only joking and the day that I would _ever_ think about Alicia Spinnet in a way other than a mere pariah to Hogwarts was impossible and that I could _never_ fall for a girl like her.

It seemed like a quick solution to the mess I'd pushed myself into. Seeking out Katie had been a huge mistake. I didn't have any doubt that as soon as I left, Katie would rush off to find Alicia or Angelina and explain my weird, verbal negations. And then my fate would be sealed. But the damage had already been done on both parts. There was no denying that I fancied her…and there was no denying that I was jealous of Wood.

"Leesh and Wood are just friends. Wood wanted to talk to Leesh because he needed help on what to get his girlfriend for their anniversary. Trust me, Georgie, those two are **strictly** platonic."

I tried to hide my contentment but I couldn't resist a grin. All right, so it had just been a case of the green-eyed monster messing with my head, that's all. No need to alert the media.

I couldn't really put into words how relieved I was. It was like a huge weight had been lifted from my shoulders, though not from my conscience. Katie cleared her throat, eyes sweeping back down to her magazine, but sporting the same smile.

"That's all hypothetically speaking, of course."

I nodded, madly grinning like the fool I am.

"Yeah, I know."

With that, I began to hobble back towards the portrait hole, in search of finding my twin or Alicia, herself. As I shuffled across the weathered carpet, Katie's voice caught my attention.

"George?"

I carefully turned around.

"Hmm?" I wondered.

Her playful, joyous expression had vanished like the sun in a blanket of obese clouds and thunderbolts.

"Just don't break her heart."

I could only stare at her worried face, plagued with the inability to reveal the truth.

* * *

I found her about an hour later, coming from the Great Hall. I'd spotted Fred sometime earlier but he was about to dart into the kitchens with…(_surprise, surprise_) Angelina, so I didn't want to ahem...interrupt them. As soon as she saw me, her lips parted into a huge smile that reached from ear to ear. I felt a little sick in the stomach, knowing that this entire masquerade had generated from a dumb plot of revenge. 

But I shoved the feeling away and headed over to her, thinking about what the next logical step would be to take. Yeah, I admit it. I was wondering if I should go for the goal and kiss her. But I didn't want to scare her away, you know? I'm not really a gambling person by nature. Well, at least when it comes to relationships and the female population. I leave that job to my twin. And well, you know how that always goes down.

"Oh, hey George! What a coincidence bumping into you, huh?" she bubbled.

I tossed out an easygoing smile.

"I suppose so. I've got some good news, though."

"Oh?"

I nodded, pleased like a small boy with an unlimited gift certificate to his favorite sweet's shop.

"I get these bloody crutches off in three days."

She laughed and began walking down the hall, towards the staircase and to the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Wicked. I must admit, I'm going to miss them. I won't have an excuse to carry your books to class anymore. And Wood won't have the opportunity to run a practice without the two of us yelling every five seconds," she teased, deviously smirking.

I rolled my eyes.

"You're a sucker for a good quarrel! Admit it, Spinnet. You and I **both** know that I'm the only person whose bullshit you put up with, because you just can't resist a good row," I analyzed.

She laughed again and I noticed for the first time, that the two slightest dimples creased the corners of her lips like the folds in a paper crane. It was kinda cute.

"Don't flatter yourself," she huffed with false indignation.

She looked away and then looked back, smiling. We had finally reached the portrait hole and I realized that I didn't know what the hell I wanted to talk to her about or why I had run around to go find her.

I was totally messed up. I knew that if I just looked at her face for some confirmation, that this whole Oliver ordeal would finally be put to rest. But now that I'd gotten the truth out of Katie, why did I need to badger Alicia? Oh brother…girls can drive you crazy. I swear.

"So."

"So," I mimicked, sneaking a peek at the Fat Lady, who was engaged in a fierce battle with her mirror.

Alicia's eyes swept down to the ground and she scuffed her toe against the freshly polished floor, suddenly stricken with a case of apprehension.

"Yeah…well, you know, if you weren't currently handicapped, I would try to…kiss your cheek or something," she half-whispered.

I chuckled. What else is a guy supposed to say to that?

"I may be handicapped…but that doesn't mean my lips are," I joked, though secretly and highly earnest.

She giggled, meeting my eyes once more.

"You're such an idiot."

I moved closer to her, the crutches scraping against the floor. Yeah, how romantic is that? Just imagine a towering red head teenager on rickety crutches, trying to put the moves on this gorgeous girl, who is a former enemy, turned crush. God, it was more like a slap stick comedy than my pathetic attempts at teenage romance.

"And you're….beautiful."

Her eyes widened and my smile deepened. But I didn't know what the hell I was doing or what outrageously shocking thing would come sputtering out of my mouth next. I definitely was a puppet to my impulses at that moment.

"George, don't mess around, all right?" she wearily bargained.

I shook my head, seeing the frustration and hesitation brewing behind her eyes.

"I'm not. I'm not, Alicia. I really…I mean it."

She gulped as though a baseball-sized lump was clogging all oxygen flow, her eyes never leaving my face, as though searching for the answer to the meaning of life.

"Oh Merlin, I really hope you do.."

We were silent for a moment.

"What's happening between us?" I croaked out.

She shrugged, fidgeting with her hands.

"I wish I could tell you. But I don't know. Ever since you got pummeled by that bludger….everything's changed. It's unexplainable. It's like a sledgehammer or something has hit me…but a good one. But-oh bugger, I'm not making any sense, am I?"

She was close to me…maybe _too_ close…there was an unspeakable energy flowing between us, like electrical sparks. I just had to touch her cheek…feel her skin beneath the palm of my hand.

My head was swimming and the rational, logical traits that I prided in myself were quickly heaved out the window and to the wind. Both of us knew we didn't have much control over the situation. It was crazy and jaw-dropping. Strange and unusual. But somehow, I couldn't draw myself away.

"Alicia…this is…." I trailed off.

She didn't say anything, stunned by her own bafflement.

She was moving even closer, the tips of her shoes bumping against my sneakers. It was the definition of unexpected chemistry, the picture perfect moment for that old saying, opposites attract.

"Don't leave just yet…at least not without a goodbye kiss."

I gazed at her, observed her rosy cheeks…studied the way she was nervous and terrified yet curious and willing at the same time. And I thought about the consequences of the suggested action and the fact that when she found out about Fred's master plan, then my confessions would only appear to be a patchwork of lies and deceit.

I weighed the pros and the cons, juggling between my fears and my desires. I studied the crinkle in her forehead, the absolute terror straining the delicate hope that dashed between her eyes.

And in the end, my emotions got the best of me. As my lips hungrily pressed against hers, I knew that I had sealed the deal on my unavoidable fate.


	10. Almost There, Going Nowhere

-Disclaimer: I own nothing.

* * *

A/N: Sorry this took so long to update! I hope you didn't forget about it!

* * *

I never knew

I never knew that everything was falling through

That everyone I knew was waiting on a queue

To turn and run when all I needed was the truth

But that's how it's got to be

Everyone knows I'm in

Over my head

With eight seconds left in overtime

She's on your mind- **The Fray**

* * *

It had been three days since "the kiss" and I had been attempting to avoid Alicia like a rabbit avoids a rabid wolf. This, certainly, wasn't an easy task to do, because we had many of the same classes. I sat as far away from her as possible in Potions, I waited until the last possible second to go down to the Great Hall for meals, and during Quidditch practice, I spent most of my time flying at the other end of the field.

I knew she could tell something was wrong, but I didn't have the courage to confess. If I had never agreed to Fred's stupid idea, then none of this would have happened. I would never have fallen for Alicia, I never would have kissed her and I never would have felt like a total prat for tricking my sworn enemy turned crush.

After classes had let out, instead of heading to the common room, I rushed to the library. Can you believe it, the library! With reference to the previous years, setting a toe into the library was as appealing as contracting a disease. Now it was becoming the spot for potential romances and a haven for this prankster turned love-sick idiot. Who knew that such a place could offer so much more than a bunch of dusty books? Wonders never cease.

Anyway, I had spotted Alicia in the Common Room and wasn't up for a confrontation. I figured that if I retreated into the library, I could at least cower behind a stack of books if she came looking for me. I mean, like I said, it would be the last place she'd ever look.

Imagine my total surprise when I ran into another unlikely rogue. I spotted a familiar flash of ginger hair, ducking behind the Biography section. Indulging in the residing feeling in my gut, I hastily followed the trail. Rolling my eyes, I tapped him on the shoulder. Fred nearly had a hernia, whipping around like a toddler that's been caught rummaging in the pantry.

"Oi, you sod, what are you doing in here?" I demanded.

My twin's wide-eyed gape slowly transformed into an enraged scowl, as he attempted to recollect the shards of his dignity that had been splattered across the floor.

"Shut up wanker, you want to get caught?" he fretfully hissed.

Before I could push any more of his short-circuited buttons, Fred latched onto my collar like a sticky squid and yanked me behind the stack of books. Suddenly fanatically paranoid like a solider during guerilla warfare, Fred's eyes darted back and forth like an owl.

"What in the world has gotten into you?"

My momentarily insane brother shoved a ratty lock of hair away from his face, chewed on his bottom lip and then sighed. All right, could we make this anymore dramatic? Jeez.

"Angel. I mean _Angelina_. It's like….the more I hang out with her, the more…I want her."

The urge to laugh slammed into the depth of my senses like a metal mallet. How ironic. We both started out with the sole intentions of humiliating our sworn enemies and now that we'd finally leapt without actually looking, we were drowning. I had approached this situation like a game of chess, mapping out effective strategies and plans of silent attack, secretly glowing with my upcoming victories.

However, I had never planned for a breach in the wall; I had never strengthened my defense. Now I was left out in the open, exposed and terribly vulnerable, just another sucker for a pretty face and sparkling eyes and doses of wit to make my head spin. Yep, it looked as though the tables had been completely turned before the rules had even been created.

And so, I stifled the compelling need to chuckle, because as I studied Fred's horrified and shocked face, I truly was staring back at my external and internal reflection.

"So let me get this straight. You're hiding in the library like a hermit because you suddenly realized that you have the hots for Angelina Johnson?" I clarified.

Fred clenched his teeth together, his eyes flashing with indignation.

"Would you shut your fat mouth? Christ, if I wanted the entire world to know, I'd go and shout it from the rooftops. Anyway, as twisted as my reasoning may be, it's true. I mean…I know this was all a part of the plan, to lead the girls on, but blimey, I've started to question who's really in control, you know?"

I thought about this confession for a solid moment, noting that Fred had dropped his usual tone of immature goofiness for serious contemplation. Without admitting anything, my brother had unintentionally read my mind and formed sentences to the vague sentiments that had been floating around in my conscious.

I nodded and Fred took this as encouragement.

"Last night I told her that she was beautiful- and she is, I'm not going to deny that. But as soon as I said it, she got this look in her eye; a cross between wanting to slap me and wanting to snog me senseless. And then I felt like a real wanker, because I knew my initial goal had been to embarrass her and-"

"I kissed Alicia," I automatically regurgitated.

Fred stared at me in disbelief and then snickered.

"Nice going. And was this before or after you told her that you'd secretly been planning her cringe-worthy downfall?"

I sighed, my eyes straying to the shelves and then back to my brother.

"Uh, that'd be option C, as in neither. I don't know, one minute we were just talking and the next, I was thinking about how soft her lips looked and then before I could get a hold of myself, I was just going after her lips like a shark! I'm telling you, this bloody raising hell through romance is messy. One minute I feel like I could knock her off her broom, the next bloody minute I want to…I want to…run through a field of daisies or something!" I bellowed, my words ceremoniously colliding.

Somewhere in the distance, cutting through the forest of her Simba mane, Hermione Granger screeched a command of silence. Naturally, we ignored her and continued to talk. This was a real crisis, if you know what I mean.

Fred nodded, his sneer adapting into somber accord.

"Quite right. Not saying that I want to thunder through a meadow or anything, but I get your drift. Once I start talking to Angelina, I mean _really_ talk to her, without all the bickering…I forget why I'm supposed to hate her."

I let my head rest in my cupped hands for a minute, tumultuously snorting out oxygen like a raging bull. After regaining my composure, I looked up again.

"Should we tell them, call the whole thing off?" I questioned.

Fred coughed out a sarcastic laugh.

"I think it's already _been_ called off. As for coming clean…I'm not too keen on that idea. It might be good for the old conscience, but both of them would hate us for eternity. I mean…if Alicia has the audacity to kick you in the balls when she's irritated, imagine what she's capable of when she's furious!"

I shuddered, easily generating possible scenarios. None of them involved a passionate kiss.

"True. And I reckon that walking into the hospital wing with a broomstick shoved up my arse would only bring about centuries of unshakeable shame," I theorized.

Fred chuckled, in spite of the current conditions.

"I really don't know, George. I'd like to tell Angelina…I don't think I can continue with our little…fling, or whatever you want to label it, knowing that everything has been built upon a lie."

Without having to use a lengthy analysis, I knew that Fred had never been more serious in his entire life. He finally understood that every action came with a consequence and that these consequences would not always be pleasant.

"You know what times like these calls for?" I began.

Fred brightened.

"Desperate measures?" he eagerly finished.

I shook my head.

"A kitchen raid! A few pieces of cake…maybe a pizza or two…and I'm sure we'll be able to come up with a better plan of attack," I reasoned.

Fred rolled his eyes and sighed.

With an affectionate pat on the shoulder, he wistfully replied, "You know twin, I can't believe I'm actually saying this, but let's be serious. I doubt a mock paralysis due to gluttony is going to solve any problems."

My eyes widened. So it was true. Fred Weasley, the five year old trapped in a gangly, fifteen year old's body, was now thinking and acting like a mature adult. The world had come to an end. I felt my spirits sink into a brief tub of melancholy, as I recognized our sparring perspectives.

"Look, I'm going to go find Lee. Maybe he can talk to Angelina or something. Or have Katie do it."

I nodded, allowing him to pass.

"I'll see you later, I guess."

With a short wave and a lopsided grin, Fred sauntered out of the library, leaving me alone with my conflicting thoughts.


End file.
